Upper East Regional Airport construction will begin before close of 2026 — President Mahama assures

President John Dramani Mahama has assured the chiefs and people of the Upper East Region that construction of the long-awaited Upper East Regional Airport at Sumbrungu-Kulbia will begin before the end of 2026.

He said the procurement process for the project was progressing and expressed optimism that all necessary approvals would be secured to allow construction to commence.

President Mahama gave the assurance when he inspected the proposed airport site at Sumbrungu-Kulbia as part of his working visit to the region.

According to him, although the project has been assigned a 24-month completion period, the contractors have indicated that they could finish the facility ahead of schedule.

“We hope that by the end of the year we will come back here and we will cut the sod for the airport to start. Even though they have given 24 months, the contractors assure us that they can do it in a shorter time than that,” he said.

The President said the airport would serve as a major catalyst for economic growth by improving connectivity and facilitating the movement of people, goods and services between the Upper East Region and other parts of the country.

He noted that residents currently have to travel about 160 kilometres to Tamale to access air transport services to Accra, describing the situation as inconvenient.

“You will be able to fly from here directly to Accra without driving to Tamale. And so this is going to be an important enabler of economic activity,” President Mahama said.

He added that the airport would also benefit businesses operating in the region, including mining companies, by providing a more efficient means of transporting gold bullion and other high-value goods to Accra.

Beyond the airport itself, President Mahama said the government intended to develop an airport city around the facility to attract investment and create additional economic opportunities.

“We want to develop a city around the airport so that it can have added value,” he said.

The President further urged residents to patronise the facility once completed to generate sufficient passenger traffic and support future expansion.

He said the airport would initially be capable of handling about 100,000 passengers annually, with the capacity designed to expand as demand increases.

Airport to Accommodate Domestic Aircraft

The Board Chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), James Agalga, said the airport would have a 2.2-kilometre runway capable of accommodating all aircraft currently operating on domestic routes in Ghana.

He said both jet and propeller-engine aircraft would be able to operate from the facility.

The airport will also have an apron capable of accommodating two aircraft at a time, a link taxiway and airfield lighting to facilitate night operations.

Mr Agalga said the terminal building would be integrated with an Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, while a Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (RFFS) facility would also be provided.

The project also includes an approximately five-kilometre asphalt access road connecting the airport to the surrounding road network.

“We are hoping that by October, we should receive all the necessary approvals to allow for you to come back and cut the sod for work to commence in earnest,” he said.

Mr Agalga disclosed that the Upper East Regional Airport was one of three airport projects being pursued by the government, alongside proposed developments in Wa and Sunyani.

Chiefs Welcome Airport Project

Speaking on behalf of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, the Paramount Chief of the Kologo Traditional Area, Naba Tandegrewongrekugre Clifford Asobayire V, expressed appreciation to President Mahama for his commitment to the project.

He said the chiefs and people of the region were eager to see construction begin and expressed confidence that the President would fulfil his promise.

“We are very grateful. We know, Mr President, you do as you say. And this project, we expect that, as promised by our son here, it will not delay so that very soon we can fly from Upper East Region to Accra,” he said.

He also commended the President for other development projects being undertaken in the region.

The chiefs and people of Sumbrungu have made available 2,888.72 hectares of land to the government free of charge for the airport project, dating back to the 1970s.

Currently, about 2.2 kilometres of the site has been cleared for development of the airport runway.