NDC much more committed to the realization of the Upper East Airport than NPP – Dr. Dominic Ayine

The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East Constituency and former Deputy Attorney General Dr. Domnic Akuritinga Ayine has said the NDC is much more committed to the realization of national projects than the ruling NPP as far as the issue of Upper East Regional Airport is concerned.

The Upper East Regional Airport has encountered delays since it was proposed.

First, it was an impasse between two communities in the BONABOTO Zone Sherigu and Sumbrungu. The two communities quarrelled over the citing siting of the airport which was later partially resolved. Then, when the misunderstanding between the two communities was about resolving, the Aviation Minister of the blessed memory Mr. Kofi Ada decided to change the location to his constituency in Navrongo. That matter wasn’t resolved until he was removed as Aviation Minister and subsequently met his untimely death.

Sharing his experience and the effort he has made as far as the Upper East Regional Airport is concerned Dr. Ayine told this reporter on Wednesday, October 28, 2022 that under the NDC, plans were more advanced to commence the project.

“When we were in office, plans were far advanced for the regional airport to be constructed. When we lost power, Hon. Kofi Ada became Minister of Aviation. I went to him and told him that the plan we had for the regional airport should be continued. He agreed with me but, subsequently when I spoke with him, may God bless his soul, I can’t lie for a dead person. He told me from the ground, it was not going to be good for him if he moved the venue of the airport from Navrongo to Sumbrungu. He said it was not going to be good for him politically," Dr. Ayine revealed.

He continued, “But I kept urging him and his deputy Mr. Afful. I kept telling them to bite the bullet and go ahead and do as we have planned. He was there for four years, he didn’t lay a finger because of this political issue he raised and finally, he was removed as Aviation Minister and subsequently met his untimely death.”

The Bolga East legislator further explained how he engaged the Transport Minister on the matter.

“I have spoken several times to the Transport Minister on the matter and he told me that the Regional Minister is working assiduously on it and the regional minister himself informed me that they have brought two investors one was from Morocco and that they are doing visibility studies to know whether or not it will be wealth wise in investing resources to construct and manage the regional airport on what they called Build Operate and Transfer basis (BOT). That is where we are with the regional airport,” he stated.

However, Dr. Ayine expresses worry. “Because this is the sixth year running and not even a sod cutting has taken place as far as the regional airport is concerned.”