The government says the planned restoration of Ghana Airways will serve as a symbol of national pride while playing a strategic role in Ghana’s economic reset and renewed engagement with the African diaspora, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said.
Mr. Ablakwa said the revival of the national airline was not driven by nostalgia but by clear economic logic and a Pan-African vision that places connectivity, investment, and self-reliance at the centre of national development.
He was speaking at the closing session of the 2025 Diaspora Summit in Accra.
He said the absence of a national carrier had resulted in significant capital flight, particularly during major international events that attracted thousands of diaspora visitors to Ghana.
According to him, ticket revenues from such gatherings largely ended up in foreign economies, denying Ghana the opportunity to retain and reinvest those resources.
“Just imagine the thousands of you who attended this Diaspora Summit. If all those tickets had been bought on our own airline, that money would have stayed in the Ghanaian economy,” the Minister said.
He noted that a functioning national carrier would convert travel spending into direct investment in national growth.
Mr Ablakwa said beyond revenue retention, the restoration of Ghana Airways would enhance access to Ghana for Africans in the diaspora by enabling targeted incentives such as discounted fares for major national and Pan-African events.
He said such measures would encourage more frequent travel, deepen people-to-people connections, and strengthen diaspora participation in development.
The Foreign Minister disclosed that a technical committee established by President John Dramani Mahama to examine the feasibility of restoring the national airline was nearing the completion of its work.
He said the government was determined to ensure that the airline’s return would be sustainable, professionally managed, and insulated from the challenges that had undermined similar ventures in the past.
He described Ghana Airways as more than a transport enterprise, saying its restoration would represent a powerful statement of confidence in Ghana’s ability to manage complex national institutions.
Mr Ablakwa linked the airline project directly to Ghana’s broader Pan-African and diaspora engagement agenda, noting that improved air connectivity would position Ghana as a preferred gateway between Africa and its global diaspora.
He said easier and more affordable travel would support tourism, trade, cultural exchange, and investment flows.
The Minister said the airline’s revival would complement other measures aimed at strengthening diaspora ties, including the planned introduction of an e-visa policy in the first quarter of 2026.
Under the new policy, he said, special dispensations would be granted to Africans in the diaspora to simplify travel to the country and reduce associated costs.
He said the combined impact of an efficient national airline and a simplified visa regime would significantly lower barriers to diaspora engagement, making it easier for Africans abroad to return, invest, and collaborate with partners in Ghana.
Mr Ablakwa stressed that Ghana’s economic reset would proceed alongside its pursuit of reparatory justice and that the two objectives were not mutually exclusive.
He said while Ghana would continue to advocate for restitution and historical justice, it would remain focused on using its limited resources prudently to drive domestic development and create opportunities for young people.
He said the focus would be on building a resilient airline capable of competing effectively while serving Ghana’s strategic national and continental interests.