Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has revealed that the country’s home-based carrier, GhanaAirlines, will commence operations in 2023.

While presenting the 2023 budget on November 24, 2022, Mr Ofori-Atta stated that after selecting a strategic partner for the home- based carrier, the government has engaged with the requisite shareholder to smoothly execute the task.

“Mr. Speaker, Shareholders and Partnership Agreements were signed with the selected strategic partner for the home-based carrier, which will be known as GhanaAirlines. The airline is expected to be operationalised in 2023,” he added.

Earlier this year, a report by the country’s regulatory agency for air transportation, Aviation Ghana, indicated that the government would choose its preferred partner out of four airlines.

Ashanti Airlines, JNH Group, Ethiopian Airlines, and EgyptAir were the four major proposals being considered.

However, according to reports, Ashanti Airlines has been chosen as the government’s preferred partner for its new domestic carrier.

The Ashanti Airlines is owned by business moguls, Osei Kwame Despite and his partner, Dr. Ernest Ofori-Sarpong.

Currently, the airline has an Air Carrier Licence (ACL) and is working to secure the acquisition of its air operator certificate (AOC), which enables an operator

to conduct specialised commercial air transport operations.

Ghana has not had a national airline operating international flights since the closure of Ghana Airways in 2004 and Ghana International Airlines in 2010.

Efforts to re-establish a national carrier faced a hurdle despite the signing of many Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir.

As a result, the previous Aviation Ministry, which is now administered by the Ministry of Transport, established a new committee to review all proposals.

GhanaAirlines then GhanaAirways is the national carrier of the Republic of Ghana. The airline has its primary hub at

Kotoka International Airport, in Accra.

It was established in 1958 by the government of Ghana.