As part of its ongoing focus and expansion into emerging markets, Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) signed an agreement with its Ghanaian counterpart on Tuesday to provide advisory and technical consultancy services on all airport-related matters in Ghana.
In a statement, Acsa said the partnership with the Ghana Airports Company would see the two working together “more closely in technical, operational, commercial and strategic business development aspects of the aviation industry”.
Ghana was experiencing “phenomenal” growth in air traffic, with domestic traffic growing by more than 30% a year, while international traffic was growing by 10% a year, Acsa said.
‘Catalytic partnership’
The memorandum of understanding provided “a positive example of a catalytic partnership between two diverse nations to provide the required infrastructure to boost the continent’s growth”, the statement said.
The Ghanian airports company is responsible for planning, developing, managing and maintaining Ghana’s airports, including Kotoka International Airport in Accra, three regional airports, as well as other airfields.
Dzifa Aku Attivor, Ghana’s Minister of Transport, said Ghana’s burgeoning economy had put enormous pressure on the country’s airports, especially that of Kotoka in Accra. The upgrade of facilities was essential and this would include the building of a new terminal, she said.
“We did not have to look far for a highly recommended partner to provide us with advisory services,” she said, citing Acsa’s success in showcasing Africa’s abilities through its successful airports expansion and management programme for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
Expansion programme
The partnership form part of South Africa’s strategy to drive business co-operation across the African continent, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said.
“It is pleasing that Ghana has acknowledged South Africa’s eminence in the development and management of world-class airports by entering into an agreement for us to provide multidimensional assistance for their aggressive airport expansion programme,” she said.
Acsa already has in place existing partnerships with GVK for the management of Mumbai International Airport in India, and with Invepar at Guarulhos International Airport in S鉶 Paulo, Brazil.
Bongani Maseko, the chief executive of Acsa, said the memorandum would be a catalyst for infrastructural development that would boost the continent抯 growth.
“The focus on Africa remains critical to our business in order that the continent earns its deserved place as a meaningful contender in the global economy,” he said. Acsa is responsible for South Africa’s nine major airports.