President John Dramani Mahama has urged leaders and heads of government institutions to take responsibility for developing the country by finding innovative ways to fund projects rather than relying solely on government allocations.
He said he wants to see institutions play their respective roles in driving national development without constantly turning to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson for funding.
President Mahama made the remarks at the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a Multi-Tiered, Multi-Purpose Car Park and Airport Hotels Complex at the Accra International Airport.
He commended the Minister of Transport and other stakeholders involved in the project for securing funding through the balance sheets of the relevant institutions instead of relying on direct government funding.
“I wish to commend the Minister of Transport and all those associated with this project. This is what we want to see. Develop our country but don’t go to Ato Forson and ask for money,” he said.
President Mahama noted that the ongoing airport projects are being financed internally by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Airports Company Limited.
“Let me state for the record that all these airport projects, the Ghana Civil Aviation’s new control tower, the refurbishment of Terminal 2, the transfer concourse between Terminal 2 and 3, and currently the airport’s parking lots, entertainment and hotel space, are being funded entirely on the balance sheets of the Ghana Civil Aviation Limited, that’s for the control tower, and for all these other projects on the balance sheet of the Ghana Airport Company Limited,” he said.
According to him, neither institution has received direct funding from the government for the projects.
“The government of Ghana has not given any of the two institutions one single cedi for these projects,” he added.
The Multi-Tiered, Multi-Purpose Car Park and Airport Hotels Complex is expected to include two hotels and a pedestrian connector linking the complex to the airport terminal.
The facility will also provide more than 2,000 parking bays, alongside a shopping mall with a food court, retail and office spaces.
Other features will include a sky lounge and sky observatory, providing visitors with a view of aircraft operations at the airport.
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Develop the country but don’t go and ask Ato Forson for money – President Mahama
