Air Ghana is not for gov't -Transport Minister

Joseph Bukari Nikpe dispelled rumours surrounding a viral aircraft bearing the branding of Air Ghana Cargo on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), clarifying that "the vessel is entirely privately owned and has no connection to state operations." Mr. Nikpe emphasized that the aircraft is strictly linked to Air Ghana, an independent cargo transport company owned and financed by private individuals, and that "the state holds no equity or operational control over the firm's logistics." The clarification followed a direct question from the Deputy Ranking Member of the Committee, Davis Opoku Ansah, who sought official government clarity regarding recently circulated photographs of the cargo airline.

During the parliamentary vetting session, the conversation drifted toward the government's ongoing plans to re-establish a national flyer. The Ranking Member of the PAC, Mr. Samuel Atta Mills, reflected on his past experiences as a frequent traveller on the defunct Ghana Airways, raising critical concerns about the chronic delays and scheduling collapses that ultimately doomed the former national carrier. Mr. Nikpe admitted that the state had learnt bitter lessons from the collapse of previous aviation experiments, stating, "This is not a good compliment, and there are lessons we have learned as a people."

To prevent a repeat of past failures, Mr. Nikpe revealed a structural shift in the state's upcoming aviation strategy, assuring that the new home-based carrier would be heavily insulated from state dictation, with the government intentionally limiting its financial and administrative footprint. He stated, "We only hold a small share, and then it will be a private-sector-led activity." Mr. Nikpe concluded his testimony by assuring the committee that the Ministry of Transport is actively collaborating with international aviation stakeholders, regulators, and private financiers to entrench strict efficiency models.