By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
The Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, has attributed recent high airport charges to the need to develop Ghana into a major aviation hub. She noted that, Ghana ranks fourth in Africa and 15th globally in airport services, but lacks critical infrastructure to compete with airports in Cairo, Morocco and South Africa.
Addressing the high cost during the public accounts committee hearing today, Opare highlighted that, implementing these charges would help bridge the gap and bring Ghana’s airport infrastructure up to international standards.
Madam Opare’s explanation comes amid efforts to position Ghana as a leading aviation hub in West Africa, with ongoing projects like the repurposing of Terminal 2 at Kotoka International Airport and the resurfacing of the main runway.
Parliament had earlier reviewed the report of the Roads and Transport Committee on the Ministry of Transport’s 2026 Budget, with the most notable proposal being a sharp revision of the Airport Passenger Service Charge (APSC).
The Committee confirmed that the APSC for international travel will rise from GH¢5, a rate unchanged since 2014 to GH¢100. According to the report, the previous rate was no longer adequate to meet the escalating costs of airport development, operations, and maintenance, particularly in light of major aviation infrastructure investments.
