MD of Airports Company has been dismissed!
Here's a fresh, revamped take on the article:
Looks like Yaw Kwakwa, the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), has been given the boot. A missive from the Transport Ministry, dated February 4, 2022, reveals that President Akufo-Addo shitcanned Kwakwa's appointment pronto.
"His Excellency, the President of the damned Republic, as per letter No. OPS127/22/104 dated 31 January 2022, has ordered that Kwakwa's gig as GACL's big cheese be cattle prodded to the curb," it read. The letter ordered the Board Chairman of GACL to take the necessary measures to give effect to the directive.
The air waves have been buzzing about GACL lately, thanks to the kerfuffle with McDan Aviation over their jet service launch at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
Friday, January 28, 2022, saw McDan Aviation – the aviation branch of the McDan Group of Companies – unveiling Ghana's first private jet terminal at KIA in Accra. Their aim? To position and boost the nation's quest to be the sub-region's premier hub for business and investment.
McDan Aviation had plans to commemorate their commercial private jet services with three planes and one chopper, with further arrangements in place for the acquisition of other aircraft, such as a Challenger 604 Bombardier, a Gulfstream jet, and helicopters, to offer air-ambulance medical services and domestic tourism.
However, a letter from GACL, penned by Kwakwa, commanded McDan Aviation to can the Private Jet lounge operations at Terminal 1 of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) due to fears that McDan might've been flouting the rules post-licensing procurement in 2019.
The letter also stated that it had directed McDan to can the launch, but they blithely ignored it and went ahead with the shindig. "We refer to our earlier conversations and subsequent dictate to kibosh the inauguration of the Private Jet Terminal at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) until all the necessary operational requirements and obligations are adhered to," the letter stated.
Later, McDan penned a letter to GACL stating they were postponing operations to facilitate a thorough powwow.
"We're writing to officially announce our decision to suspend our operations at the Fixed Base Operator Terminal with immediate effect. This move is necessary to clear the path for us to engage your outfit and all the key stakeholders on the next steps," Daniel Mckorley, Group CEO of McDan Group, wrote in the letter to GACL's Managing Director.
The connection between McDan Aviation and GACL has hit a rough patch due to various factors. A court ruling favored GACL, allowing them to reclaim over 16 acres of land previously possessed by McDan Group subsidiaries, following a legal tussle over lease agreement breaches and outstanding debts. McDan's operations at Terminal 1 of the Kotoka International Airport were previously suspended due to debt concerns, though these debts were later squared away. The land dispute, however, persisted until the recent court ruling.
There's no concrete info available on how Kwakwa's dismissal impacts the relationship between GACL and McDan Aviation. Additionally, reports of safety oversights at Kotoka Airport intertwine in this complicated web. Despite these complications, McDan Aviation bagged the Aviation Company of the Year award at the Ghana West Africa Business Excellence Awards 2025. As of now, the relationship remains a tangled mess because of ongoing disputes and safety concerns.
- The dismissal of Yaw Kwakwa, the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), might have implications on the relationship between GACL and McDan Aviation, particularly regarding the latter's business operations at Kotoka International Airport.
- In the realm of general-news, politics, business, and transport, the ongoing dispute between GACL and McDan Aviation over the latter's private jet terminal at Kotoka International Airport continues to create a stir, with concerns over rule-flouting, safety oversights, and land ownership.
- In an effort to strengthen the nation's position as a premier hub for business and investment, McDan Aviation planned to invest in various aircraft, such as private jets and helicopters, for commercial services and medical air-ambulance, despitereported earlier directives from GACL to cease operations due to potential rule violations.
