By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, Feb. 12, GNA – Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, Omanhen of the Oguaa Traditional Area has appealed to the government to construct a helipad or aerodrome in Cape Coast if the proposed Cargo Airport was technically not feasible in the historic Central Regional capital.
He said an airport in Cape Coast, a nexus for tourism, education, and trade, will improve connectivity and reduce travel time for both domestic and international tourists and businesspeople.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the former Vice President, announced during the launch of the New Patriotic Party’s 2020 manifesto in Cape Coast his government’s committed to constructing a new harbour and airport in Cape Coast to boost tourism and development.
He emphasised that Cape Coast’s location between Greater Accra and Kumasi made it a hub for economic activity and an airport would further drive infrastructural growth, but that dream was not fulfilled.
Nonetheless, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta in an interaction with the new Regional Minister, Mr Ekow Payin Eduamoah at his Emintsimadze Palace on Tuesday, regretted the previous government’s move to construct the proposed Cape Coast Airport near Komenda.
He could not fathom why a Cape Coast Airport would be built in Komenda in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality having advocated as such for two decades.
He said: “We have made a request for an airport to be built in Cape Coast, but we were told at a meeting at the Coordinating Council sometime back the facility has been taken to Komenda.”
“Baffled by the explanation, I enquired from them if the people of Komenda have made such a request, and they said no.
“We made the request so if for any technical reasons making an airport in Cape Coast is impossible, it is only prudent and fair we are given prior notice if an appropriate measure could be worked out but that was not done.
“If the length of the runway among others makes it impossible in Cape Coast, then give us a helipad or an aerodrome, that is our request to you.”
The visit served as an opportunity for the Minister to officially introduce himself to the Oguaa Traditional Council and the people before commencing his duties.
In appreciation and honour of the visit, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta committed the Traditional Council’s support to the new Minister to spearhead development across the region, with Cape Coast as the prime focus.
Osabarimba Kwesi Atta however, regretted how some government officials and high-profile dignitaries often visited the regional capital without paying homage to the traditional authority in the community saying, “that is a sidestep of our culture and traditions.”
“Let us not allow the foreign culture influence destroy our beautiful culture. It is improper to disregard the chiefs and people in this regard.
“We are Ghanaians, and our culture should not be trivialised or traded for anything, else we lose our identity,” he advised.
Mr Eduamoah, in a brief remark strongly refuted the pervasive “poverty tag” associated with the region, urging residents to work together to reverse that long-standing narrative.
The Minister expressed his conviction that the region’s vast arable lands, significant tourism potential, status as the cradle of education and industrious human resources provided a solid foundation for economic transformation, and not poverty.
“I don’t know where the narrative of our region being poor emanated from and who did the research because it can’t be true based on our endowment.
“Our region is not poor because we have major education institutions here and is the tourism hub of Ghana so we can’t be poor,” he said.
The Regional Minister reaffirmed President John Dramani Mahama’s economic reset agenda to emancipate the country from the economic doldrums through job creation and agriculture business revolution.
With a focus on inclusivity and equal access to opportunities, he promised to address the pressing concerns of unemployment and skills mismatch that had for long plagued the youth of the region.
“We are intentional about job creation. It is not about how many factories government will set up but being intentional to support productive ventures of all people regardless of political inclination.
“Our land is good for many crops including coconut so if you support us, instead of weeds, there will be coconut. We will make sure every vacant land is occupied with a crop.
“This will make our food crops to attract and retain investment for economic growth,” he said.
He intimated that “until we focused on our gains and build this nation together, we would always be blaming a group of people without focusing on what we could achieve if we come together and contributed our quota to developing Ghana.”
“Governance is a shared responsibility and the earlier we as citizens and politicians look at Ghana at the bigger picture against our parochial interest, the better it will be for all of us,’’ Mr Eduamoah added.
GNA