From the 2019 banking crisis to the 2026 McDan Aviation takedown: Are we repeating the tragic cycle of destroying our own?
McDan Aviation experienced a "takedown" in March 2026 at Terminal 1 of the Kotoka International Airport. The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) officials reportedly stormed the terminal at 1:00 a.m. on March 11 to forcibly remove McDan Aviation's property. This action occurred despite GACL being formally served with a motion for an interlocutory injunction on March 10, 2026.
In August 2022, McDan Aviation signed a license agreement to operate Ghana's first private Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at Terminal 1. The dispute between GACL and the McDan Group gained public legal traction following a May 2025 High Court ruling that granted GACL full re-entry and possession of over 16 acres of airport land previously held by McDan subsidiaries. GACL cited outstanding ground rents, seeking the recovery of $26,296 and securing GH¢50,000 in legal costs. The contract governing their operations explicitly stipulates a 90-day notice period before any eviction can take place.
Prior to the recent elections, John Dramani Mahama promised a 'reset' and assured the nation that the indigenous businesses collapsed under the previous administration would be reviewed. He promised that businessmen and women who had been dealt a bad hand by government apparatchiks would see restoration.
Quick Summary
A legal activist reflects on Ghana's economic development, drawing parallels between the 2019 banking crisis and the recent McDan Aviation-GACL standoff. Is Ghana repeating a cycle that undermines local entrepreneurs and betrays promises of empowerment?
Summary - read the full story for complete context.

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