‘You’ll fly directly to Accra’ – Mahama promises Bolga Airport construction commencement
President John Dramani Mahama has described the proposed Bolgatanga Airport as a potential “game changer” for the Upper East Region, saying the project will eliminate the need for residents who choose air travel to endure the long road journey to Accra.
According to President Mahama, the airport will enable residents to fly directly from Bolgatanga to Accra without having to travel to Tamale to access air services.
He said the improved air connectivity would facilitate the movement of people and goods while making the region more attractive to investors and businesses.
President Mahama made the remarks on Thursday, August 13, 2026, when he inspected the proposed airport site as part of his first engagement on a two-day working tour of the Upper East Region.
“We want to open up the country to air travel because there are some people who want to go very quickly to Accra, transact their business and come back quickly. You cannot sit in a bus for 11 hours going to Accra and 11 hours coming back,” he said.
“That will be a thing of the past. You’ll be able to fly from here directly to Accra without driving to Tamale. This is going to be an important enabler of economic activity,” he added.
The proposed airport is expected to have a 2.2-kilometre runway capable of supporting domestic and commercial flights.
President Mahama disclosed that procurement for the project was underway and urged the relevant authorities to expedite the process to enable construction to begin.
“The project is 24 months. I’ve been following the process of the procurement. I want us to let it go quickly. Even though they’ve given 24 months, the contractors assure us that they can do it in a shorter time than that,” he said.
The President also announced that he would return to the region for the official sod-cutting ceremony once the necessary processes had been completed.
“Very soon I’ll come back and join you, our paramount chiefs and the people of Upper East to cut the sod on this site for the provision of the airport,” he stated.
President Mahama expressed appreciation to the traditional authorities for releasing land for the project, stressing that the government’s vision goes beyond the construction of an airport.
“I want to thank you for your generous donation of this parcel of land for the Upper East Airport. It is going to consist not only of the airport but we want to develop a city around the airport so that it can have added value,” he said.
He further highlighted the potential benefits of the airport to businesses in the region, particularly mining companies that currently face difficulties transporting gold to Accra.
The President said the availability of air services would provide mining companies with a more convenient option for transporting gold bullion to the national capital.
“Aside from that there are many businesses here in the Upper East region. We have the gold mines. They have to move their gold down to Accra. Sometimes they have to use a bullion van or charter a helicopter. It will be easy for them to bring it here and fly their gold bullion to Accra,” he explained.
President Mahama also argued that better air connectivity would strengthen the region’s prospects of attracting investors.
“When investors come and they want to set up an industry here, they want to be able to travel quickly and back. Nobody wants to drive 11 hours to come to his factory in Upper East and drive 11 hours back to Accra. I believe that this airport will be a game changer,” he said.
He urged residents of the Upper East Region to patronise the airport once it becomes operational, noting that passenger numbers would be crucial to its sustainability and future expansion.
“It is my hope that the people of Upper East will patronize it. I want to see your passenger numbers climb up very quickly because like he said it’s a scalable airport,” President Mahama stated.
The proposed Bolgatanga Airport is expected to improve air connectivity in the Upper East Region and support trade, tourism, investment and other economic activities.