Former Roads and Highways Minister and Member of Parliament for Bantama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has rejected the idea of constructing an airport in Cape Coast, arguing that investing in road infrastructure would have a greater economic impact on Ghana.
Speaking in Parliament during discussions on the approval of a GHS 3.2 billion budget for the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Asenso-Boakye questioned the feasibility of the proposed airport, a project the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) had promised during the 2020 election campaign.
“If you invest in a very modern highway from Accra to Takoradi, you can do the journey in an hour and a half. That will transform the tourism dynamics in our country,”- he stated.
His remarks align with concerns from analysts who argue that an airport in Cape Coast lacks economic justification.
Instead, Asenso-Boakye urged the government to prioritize durable road construction as a sustainable alternative.
“If we take the decision as a country to build concrete roads, we will save money in the long term because they last up to 50 years instead of the current 15-year cycle for asphalt,”- he emphasized.
His call for improved road networks over an airport project has reignited the debate on Ghana’s infrastructure priorities.
Ghana|Atinkaonline|Najat Adamu