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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Prempeh I International Airport
Prempeh I International Airport (IATA: KMS, ICAO: DGSI) is an international airport in Ghana serving Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region, other regions in the middle belt of Ghana as well as the northern part of Ghana. In 2023, the airport handled over 400,000 passengers, making it the second busiest airport in Ghana after Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

Prempeh I International Airport is located 6 kilometres (4 mi) from Kumasi. It was changed from a military base to an airport in 1999. The airport has undergone several renovation and expansion projects to help push its status as an international airport.

History

Approval to start an airport in Kumasi by the then British government was obtained in 1940, even though the land acquisition documentation was completed and paid for in 1947. Prior to that, in 1943, the Kumasi Airport had been completed and was in use. The airport was started as a military air force base for the British Royal Air Force during World War II.

In 1958 and 1959, the Government of Ghana made extensive developments on the runway, navigational facilities,and human resources to ensure the enhancement of internal airline operations.

In the late 1970s, there was a major uplift through the installation of runway and Taxiway lights and an extension of the main runway to the southern part of the Airport.

On 1 December 1993 a new Terminal building and the installation of a VOR/DME were commissioned by President Jerry John Rawlings. The airport was changed from a fully military base into a domestic airport in 1999.

In 2008, renovation works were done by Bans Consult Limited at the airport, including the rehabilitation of the arrival and departure halls, the control room, the rescue and fire station, and the construction of a VIP Lounge ahead of the African Cup of Nations 2008 (CAN 2008) which Ghana was hosting.

Airlines and scheduled destinations

Africa World Airlines Embraer ERJ-145LR at Kumasi Airport
AirlinesDestinations
Africa World Airlines Accra
Passion Air Accra, Wa

Statistics

These data show,the number of passenger movements into the airport, according to the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.

Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Passengers 275,644 226,984 244,673 205,962 376,823 229,127 417,510 476,266 406,716
Reference

Upgrades to an international airport

The Kumasi Airport attained international status in 2014. However, the airport only operated on a regional level, even though it had had the full complement of security, customs, and immigration staff in place since 2003. Even though it had attained that status, work to upgrade the physical structures had yet to be fully put in place. The Kumasi Airport has undergone several rehabilitations and upgrades to help ensure its status as an international airport.

In 2012, initial renovation works were started on the existing facilities involved patching and filling of cracks on the main runway, construction of additional waiting rooms and building a car park to make way for future renovation and upgrades targeted for the following year.

As of 2023, the airport was purely serving domestic air traffic.

Expansion projects

Phase 1

In 2013, the Government of Ghana embarked upon a phased development of the Kumasi Airport to provide the requisite infrastructure for safe domestic and international operations to ensure safety and comfort for passengers whilst ensuring Ghana had a fully functioning international airport along with Kotoka International Airport.

Phase 1 works to upgrade the Kumasi Airport to international standard was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014. The first phase consisted of the rehabilitation of the defective runway and installation of airfield lights and aeronautical ground lights on the runway to facilitate night operations at the airport. The commissioning of the Phase 1 which happened in December 2014, was earmarked with a historic first night landing by the then President John Dramani Mahama. Prior to this upgrade an Instrument Landing System (ILS) was installed to aid pilots for take off and land.

Phase 2

Passion Air Bombardier Dash8-Q400 registered 9G-MRH at Kumasi Airport in Kumasi, Ghana

Plans to start working on the phase 2 which is to cost around €65 million had been decided by November 2016, the project covered mainly the construction of a new two-storey ultra-modern terminal of 7,000 square metres of space based on a 400-passenger per hour and an annual passenger traffic forecast of 1,500,000, parking areas and a ring road around the airport. The building is to also include spaces like VVIP and VIP lounges, restaurants, commercial areas, three boarding gates, a central screening system for passengers, an IATA standard baggage handling system and also offices for the airline companies.

In December 2016, President John Dramani Mahama along with a representative of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asafohene Acheamfuo Kwame Akowuah cut the sod for work to begin on the second phase of the Kumasi Airport project by Contracta Engenhiria Ltd

In June 2018, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut sod for the second phase of the expansion of Kumasi Airport, which is expected to be completed in 24 months. It will see the expansion of the runway from 1,981 meters to 2,300 meters and the construction of a new terminal building with a capacity of 1 million passengers per year.

Phase 3

In April 2019, the Parliament of Ghana approved a budget of €58.9 million for Phase 3 of the development of the Kumasi Airport. Phase 3 includes an extension of the terminal building, a fire station, fire access routes and an air control tower. It also includes the extension of the car park and access roads, an apron extension, a runway strip, and an airside service road. The second and third phases are currently being done concurrently and are expected to be completed by October 2022.

The Kumasi Airport is currently served by two domestic carriers, Africa World Airlines and PassionAir.

Yvoone Nana Afriyie Opare, Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, has announced that the remaining construction activities at the Prempeh I International Airport are on track to be finished by September 2024. This includes the extension of the runway from its current length of 1,981 meters to 2,320 meters, which is progressing as scheduled and is also expected to be completed by September 2024.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Traffic Statistics - Domestic per airport" (PDF). Ghana Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Airport information for DGSI". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF.
  3. ^ Airport information for KMS at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  4. ^ Adarkwa, Kwasi Kwafo (2011). Future of the Tree: Towards Growth and Development of Kumasi. Kumasi, Ghana: University Printing Press (UPK) Knust. pp. 14–34. ISBN 978-9988-1-5451-6.
  5. ^ "Traffic Statistics – GACL".
  6. ^ "Kumasi Airport assumes international status". Graphic Online. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  7. ^ "International airlines not using Kumasi Airport". Pulse Ghana. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  8. ^ Dogbevi, Emmanuel (29 March 2015). "International airlines not using Kumasi Airport – Minister". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Ghana upgrades facilities and expands capacity at its airports". Oxford Business Group. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Kumasi Airport – GACL". Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Ghana Construction News – Kumasi International Airport Expansion". ghanaconstructionnews.com. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Minister of Aviation inspects rehabilitation works in Kumasi Airport - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 10 January 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Bans Consult Limited – Transportation Engineering and Project Management : Welcome". www.bansconsult.com. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  14. ^ "STATISTICS - DOMESTIC PASSENGERS (TO/FROM ACCRA)" (PDF). GHANA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY. 2018.
  15. ^ "Monthly Spread / Distribution of Passengers per Year (for each Airport)" (PDF). GHANA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY. 2018.
  16. ^ "2019 (JAN - DEC) STATISTICS - DOMESTIC PASSENGERS (TO/FROM ACCRA) Pax Distribution % per Airport" (PDF). GHANA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY. 2019.
  17. ^ "Monthly Spread / Distribution of Passengers per Year (for each Airport)" (PDF). GHANA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY. 2021.
  18. ^ "Local airlines push for 24 hour service at Kumasi airport". Citi Business News. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  19. ^ Gupta, Kasturi (20 July 2012). "Ghana's Kumasi Airport renovation started". African Review (in Polish). Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  20. ^ "Mahama, Asantehene commission refurbished Kumasi Airport - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Kumasi airport gets Instrument Landing System". citifmonline.com. 20 March 2014.
  22. ^ "Construction of new Terminal Building at Kumasi Airport to ensure security and comfort of passengers as Parliament okays project". Ghana Justice. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  23. ^ Ato Dapatem, Donald (6 December 2016). "Prez Mahama cuts tape for 2nd phase of Ksi Airport". Graphic Online. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  24. ^ Awuah Jr., Joe (12 December 2016). "Mahama Cuts Sod For K'si Airport". DailyGuide Network. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  25. ^ Dapatem, Donald Ato (7 June 2018). "Akufo-Addo cuts sod for Kumasi Airport phase 2 project". Graphic Online. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  26. ^ Jafaru, Musah Yahaya (8 June 2018). "Kumasi Airport sod-cutting ceremony shocks Minority". Graphic Online. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  27. ^ "Ghana's Parliament Okays €58.9 Million Contract for Kumasi Airport". News Ghana. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  28. ^ "Parliament approves €58.9m contract to develop Kumasi Airport". Ghana Business News. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  29. ^ "Kumasi airport will be a total waste if 3rd phase is not completed — Minister reveals". www.ghanaweb.com. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  30. ^ "Kumasi Airport – GACL". Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  31. ^ "Phase 3 of Prempeh I International Airport to be completed in September - GACL MD". Ghana Web. 13 May 2024.
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