President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has applauded Goldstar Airlines, a privately owned Ghanaian airline, on how far it had reached in its efforts to operate air services.
“Let me take this opportunity on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo to congratulate Goldstar Airline for how far the airline has come in its quest to operate air services to and from Ghana,” the Aviation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah, said at the inauguration of a new head office building of the airline, at Ashalley Botwe, in Accra.
Reading the speech on behalf of the Aviation Minister, Mr Ellis Hugh-Tamakloe, Chief Planning Officer of the Ministry, said “I must say that this fits perfectly into our aviation development agenda and collaboration with the private sector.
“It, therefore, comes as no surprise that as part of its preparations, the airline has put up this structure we are all currently viewing and about to open to enable them conduct their operations professionally.”
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Her speech further identified aviation as a “catalyst for the socio-economic development for many countries, and a sector that contributed immensely to employment generation and wealth creation.
“It is in the light of the above that H E... Akufo Addo sees the Aviation Sector as a key in the NPP Government’s agenda for change and hence established a complete Ministry to focus on the strategic development of the sector,” the speech read.
The Minister indicated that the policy of the government “is to build capacity in the industry and also put in place all measures to ensure the sustenance of high safety and security standards.”
She reiterated that “the Government is also poised to establish a national airline with private sector participation to support our policy of making KIA an aviation hub in the region.”
Goldstar Air last December acquired the Air Carrier License, and its processes to acquire the Air Operators License have also gone very far.
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The company has further completed training for its cabin attendants and hopes to provide Ghanaian dishes on board. It also intends establishing a Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Centre to help maintain aircraft both in Ghana, the sub-region and beyond.
Mr Eric Bannerman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Goldstar Air said that the company would be operating scheduled and non-scheduled flights from Accra to 11 destinations, namely London, Dubai, Guangzhou, Lagos, Monrovia, Dakar, Banjul, Conakry, Freetown, Abidjan, Baltimore and Washington.
He assured that the company will create about 5,000 direct and indirect jobs when it commences its operations fully, adding that preparations are underway for takeoff during 2017 summer.