Government Moves to Revive Ghana Airways, Strengthen Ties with Africans Abroad
The government has indicated that efforts to bring back Ghana Airways are intended not just as a marker of collective identity, but as a deliberate part of the nation’s broader strategy to rejuvenate the economy and strengthen ties with Africans living abroad, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said at the conclusion of the 2025 Diaspora Summit in Accra on Saturday, December 20. He added that the initiative is rooted in sound economic reasoning and a Pan‑African outlook, focused on better connectivity, investment, and self‑sufficiency, rather than sentimentality. He explained that the absence of a home‑based carrier has led to substantial outflows of funds, especially when many diaspora travellers arrive for major events, with airfare spending going to foreign operators instead of staying in Ghana’s economy. Reinstating the airline, he said, would improve access for diaspora visitors and potentially allow for reduced fare schemes tied to national and continental celebrations, thereby deepening cultural connections and boosting participation in development efforts. A technical team, set up by President John Dramani Mahama, is nearing completion of its work on assessing the venture’s viability; the government aims to ensure the carrier’s return is resilient, professionally run, and avoids past pitfalls. The project, he emphasized, is a demonstration of Ghana’s capacity to manage complex institutions, and complements other diaspora-focused reforms, such as an e‑visa system planned for early 2026. This system would offer special concessions to Africans abroad, making travel easier, reducing barriers to engagement, and creating more opportunities for them to invest, collaborate, and contribute locally. All of these measures, the Minister noted, will support Ghana’s economic reset alongside its pursuit of reparative justice, while positioning the country as a preferred link between Africa and its global diaspora.
