Social commentator Stanley Abopam has waded into the heated debate over the construction of the Upper East Regional Airport.
Speaking recently on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, Mr. Abopam emphasized that the airport is a long-overdue necessity. He pointed out that as far back as 1948, when colonial authorities built the Paga Airstrip, the need for air travel infrastructure in the region was recognized.
“Even in 1948, when Tamale Airport did not exist, and there were no airports in Ho, Sunyani, or Wa, and when the Kotoka International Airport—then Accra International Airport—was merely a small runway like the Soe road, the colonial rulers saw the need for an airport in our region. That is why the Paga Airstrip was created.”
“It is the only airfield outside the colonial capitals on the African continent, apart from Entebbe in Uganda, where Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, landed in 1948. So, if even back then, the colonial authorities saw the need to establish an airfield here, on what academic, moral, or legal grounds can anyone argue against constructing an airport in 2025?” he questioned.
Mr. Abopam further explained that, had it not been for a national disagreement between Ghana and Burkina Faso in the 1970s, the Paga Airstrip would have been fully developed into an airport. He described the current opposition to the project as “needless.”
He elaborated that the disagreement stemmed from the fact that aircraft landing in Paga would have to use Burkina Faso’s airspace for proper alignment. This created concerns for the Burkinabé government due to the presence of military bases in Po. The need for aircraft to fly directly over these military installations before landing in Paga led to national security concerns for Burkina Faso, preventing the further development of the airstrip.
As a result, Ghana had to seek an alternative location within its borders. One such site was identified in Anateem, Sumbrungu. Mr. Abopam stated that in 1992, the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) began developing the site, awaiting government intervention for its completion—a completion that has yet to materialize.
Additionally, Mr. Abopam has strongly criticized those opposing the airport’s construction, dismissing their concerns about its financial and economic viability. Opponents have referenced the Auditor-General’s report, which assessed the economic feasibility of regional airports in Wa, Tamale, Sunyani, Kumasi, and Ho, to support their stance.
Speaking on the Day Break Upper East Show with Gerard Asagi, Mr. Abopam asserted, “A careful study of these arguments reveals three possibilities. If we are being generous, we might assume these individuals simply lack an understanding of development dynamics. Alternatively, they could be anti-progressive or perhaps narrow-minded academics.”
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1MHz | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
