GACL Targets Year-End Start for Wa, Bolgatanga and Sunyani Airport Projects

The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) is aiming to begin construction on three regional airport projects before the end of 2026, in a push to extend aviation infrastructure beyond Accra and unlock economic opportunities in the Upper West, Upper East, and Bono regions.

GACL Managing Director Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare announced the plans at the company's 20th Anniversary Lecture and Awards in Accra on Monday, November 9, stating that the projects would "enhance connectivity and open opportunities across the country" .

The developments comprise upgrades at Wa and Sunyani airports and an entirely new airport in Bolgatanga. At Wa, the planned works include a new terminal building and a runway extension to improve access to the Upper West Region. The Bolgatanga project involves building an airport on a new site near Sumbrungu, expected to support commerce, tourism, and investment in the Upper East Region .

Sunyani Airport is earmarked for a new terminal building, a modern air traffic control tower, and a runway extension to more than 2,000 metres. The existing runway, at approximately 1.5 kilometres, limits the types of aircraft that can use the facility. President Mahama has previously stated that surrounding developments have made expansion of the existing site unfeasible, and a replacement facility with a 2.4-kilometre runway has been planned on new land secured with the support of traditional authorities .

Bolgatanga: A "Game Changer" in Waiting

The Bolgatanga project has received particular attention from the presidency. President Mahama inspected the proposed site in August 2026 and described the facility as a potential "game changer" for the Upper East Region, noting that residents currently travel about 160 kilometres to Tamale to access domestic flights .

The airport is planned with a 2.2-kilometre runway capable of receiving both jet and propeller-engine aircraft, an apron accommodating two aircraft simultaneously, airfield lighting for night operations, and a terminal building integrated with an air traffic control tower. An approximately five-kilometre asphalted access road forms part of the contract. The facility is expected to initially handle about 100,000 passengers annually, with room for future expansion. Sod-cutting was targeted for before the end of 2026, with a 24-month construction timeline .

Financing Through the AIDC

The three projects form part of a wider investment programme supported by the Airport Infrastructure Development Charge (AIDC), introduced on April 1, 2026. The levy adds GH¢100 per ticket for domestic travellers and between US100 for international passengers, depending on the route .

GACL Chairman James Agalga has defended the charge as essential to addressing congestion and upgrading ageing facilities, warning that without runway overlays and other works, Kotoka International Airport risked being downgraded . Revenue from the AIDC is lodged in a dedicated fund and escrow account under the Ministry of Transport, to be used strictly for airport infrastructure development .

The programme also includes improvements at Kotoka International Airport, where Terminal 2 is being reconfigured to handle both domestic and international flights, alongside runway rehabilitation and lighting upgrades, and infrastructure development at Kumasi Airport .

A 20-Year Milestone

The announcement came at GACL's 20th anniversary celebration, held under the theme "The Role of Airports in Economic Development." Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who attended the event, urged GACL to sustain investment in airport infrastructure and improve service delivery as it marks two decades of managing the country's airport facilities .

She noted that international passenger traffic at Kotoka International Airport had increased from 1.8 million in 2022 to 2.5 million in 2025, underscoring the need for continuous investment to accommodate rising numbers and strengthen Ghana's position as a regional aviation hub .

For the communities in Wa, Bolgatanga, and Sunyani, the year-end target represents more than a construction timeline. It is the latest in a series of promises stretching back years—and the measure of whether this one will finally translate into tarmac, terminals, and direct flights home.

Key Facts:

· Wa: New terminal building and runway extension

· Bolgatanga: New airport near Sumbrungu; 2.2km runway, terminal with integrated control tower, 100,000 annual passenger capacity

· Sunyani: New terminal, modern control tower, runway extension beyond 2,000 metres

· Financing: Airport Infrastructure Development Charge (AIDC), effective April 1, 2026

· Bolgatanga timeline: Sod-cutting targeted for end of 2026; 24-month construction

· Kotoka works: Terminal 2 reconfiguration, runway rehabilitation, lighting upgrades.