The Tamale airport in the Northern Region is to be elevated to International status to freight forward agricultural products and tourism in the northern sector of Ghana

This is part of the activities of the Government to improve the transport system to serve as an alternative to the Kotoka International Airport to ease pressure and congestion of flights, enhance the Sahara Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) Project and help to efficiently handle future Hajj operations.

Taking his turn at the meet-the-press series in Accra, the Minister for Transport, Mr Collins Dauda, said in anticipation of future growth in traffic at the Kotoka International Airport , the Ministry through the Ghana Airport Company Limited will acquire a land at Prampram in the Greater Accra Region to develop a new international airport.

The Minister disclosed that, his Ministry has secured  funds from the world Bank to enable the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) develop  a comprehensive regulation inland water transport and develop the capacity to enforce standards effectively.

According to the Minister, inland water regulation by the GMA will be operational by the end of 2012 to deal with standards in boat construction, its operations and guidelines.

Touching on the railway transport system, Mr Dauda said the system is being rehabilitated to reduce traffic congestion by developing a one way route from Tema to Accra and from Kasoa to Accra central. This he said will ease traffic congestion in Accra.

With respect to the Volta Lake, the Minister indicated that Messrs Zoil Service Limited has proposed to increase the number of life guards from the current 2,300 to 8,400 to extend the operations of the workers to all the 739 communities bordering the Volta Lake.

The Minister also announced that the passage of the revised Road Traffic Regulations in 2012 will provide adequate authority to the law enforcement agencies to demand compliance as well as prosecute offenders.

To overcome the challengers facing the Driver Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA), he said an automation service will be launched to enable the public apply for licence online to enhance the Authority’s efficiency and decongest the premises.

Under the Metro Mass Transit (MMT) the Minister said the the Government has imported 150 buses and the MMT will continue to provide public mass transport by extending its services to more districts and rural communities.

The Minister appealed to all drivers to drive carefully and avoid drunk driving and abide by all the traffic regulation especially during the festive season.

Source: ISD (Chantal Aidoo & Hamdiya  Ibrahim)

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