MD of Ghana Airports Company sacked

President Nana Akufo-Addo has axed the Managing Director (MD) of the Ghana Airports Company Limited  (GACL), Yaw Kwakwa.

Transport Minister, Kwaku Ofori Aisamah, directed the Board Chairman of the GACL to take the necessary steps to effect the directive in a statement released on 4 February 2022.

“His Excellency the President, per letter No. 0P S127/22/104, dated 31 January 2022, has directed the appointment of Mr Yaw Kwakwa as Managing Director of the Ghana Airport’s Company Limited be terminated,” the release noted.

It is unclear the reasons behind the termination of Mr Kwakwa’s appointment.

However, there has been a recent banter between the GACL MD and Ghanaian business magnate Danial McKorley.

On 1 January, the GACL ordered the newly launched McDan Aviation, operated by Mr McKorley, to suspend the use of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) until further notice.

GACL accused McDan Aviation of breaching the laid down procedure after procuring its license to operate in 2019.

It also said it had noticed with concern, McDan’s disregard for the norms of doing business in the aviation sector, which required strict adherence to safety and security rules.

“Indeed, you have engaged in several activities without prior approval from GACL, which has typically called for emergency corrective actions,” the notice explained.

The GACL went ahead and cited one major example relating to the commencement of construction of the private jet terminal without a Plan of Construction Operation (PCO) approval from GACL.

“We only became aware of your construction activities during routine security patrols, and we had to ask you to stop and submit a PCO for review and approval before construction continued,” the GACL said.

The GACL later granted Mac Dan the permit to operationalize the Private Jet at Terminal 1 at the KIA.