Intense competition is looming for Ghanaian airlines as the Ministry of Aviation has indicated its readiness to allow competition into Ghana’s domestic air travel space. This move according to the Deputy Minister of Aviation, Kwabena Okyere Darko, is to upgrade Ghana’s aviation system; by shaping it into a more competitive hub for aviation.
According to Kwabena Okyere Darko, the country is prepared to collaborate with all airlines in Nigeria to also allow them to operate in Ghana’s domestic market.
All these plans came to light during the launch of Africa World Airline’s inaugural flight to Abuja on Monday, June 27, 2017. Africa World Airline’s Accra-Abuja route operates a flight daily every week. The company also intends to increase its fleet of Embraer 145 aircraft, as it considers the extension of its operations to other markets within the sub-region. However, the number of aircraft to be added is undefined.
The Ghanaian government looks forward to increasing the free movement of people and goods across the West African coast, as revealed by the Deputy Aviation Minister. A good mechanism to be applied for the purpose of this objective is through partnerships with transport and aviation organizations, as well as countries in the region.
This move will also help strengthen the relationship between Ghana and Nigeria especially with the movement of air passenger and cargo and open up the market to private investors in Nigeria. According to the Acting Director of Air Transport Management for Nigeria’s Transport Ministry, Gregory Adebiyi Taiwo
To the layman, domestic airline competition is the sure way to go in the aviation industry. This is because an average citizen cares about spending less to gain more.
But from the business perspective, a deregulation of the airline industry to permit free-market competition is a sure way to take the industry to an enviable level. While the local airlines may see this as a deprivation of benefits, a nation sees it as a chance to fertilize necessary resources needed for development.
To permit Nigeria airlines in Ghana travel space can be said to be a move towards deregulation of the country’s aviation industry which in turn will transform the industry into a nerve-centre for airline businesses.
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