President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to construct airstrips in regions without airports to improve emergency air travel and facilitate urgent medical evacuations.
Western North, which currently has no operational commercial airport, is expected to benefit from the initiative.
The President announced the plan during a courtesy call by chiefs from the Western North Region, explaining that the proposed facilities would provide landing sites for aircraft during emergencies.
He said regions without existing airports would be provided with airstrips measuring approximately two kilometres in length, alongside small control offices to support aircraft operations.
“We are going to provide an airstrip in every region that does not already have an airport. Sometimes there are emergencies, and sometimes medical evacuations are necessary. At the moment, some regions do not have landing sites for aircraft,” he said.
President Mahama explained that regions with existing airports would not require the additional facilities, while those without airports would benefit from the planned infrastructure.
“Regions that already have airports are covered, but those without airports will receive landing strips. They will be about two kilometres long and will have a small control office so that aircraft can land in the region in an emergency. Western North will be one of the beneficiaries,” he added.