The Techiman Traditional Council has underscored the critical need for the government to complete the abandoned Techiman Airport project to meet the metropolis's booming economic and commercial demand.
The council expressed concern over the project's abandonment, which started in the early 2000s at Twimia-Nkwanta, by successive governments.
The acting President of the Council, Nana Owusu Gyare, made the appeal last Friday when the Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, paid a courtesy call on the council as part of his familiarisation visit to the region.
He said the construction of the airport would help boost investment, reduce growing vehicular traffic jams and position the Techiman area to become the country's economic engine.
"If the airport is constructed in the region, it would significantly improve every sector of the economy, from the agriculture value chain, to businesses, tourism, health among others," he said.
When actualised, Nana Gyare explained that the project would reduce highway robbery on traders who travel from far to transact business at the Techiman market, one of the biggest markets in the West Africa sub-region.
He also said the project would help boost local businesses, attract regional investors, create jobs and increase tourism patronage.
300 acres
He said the council had allocated more than 300 acres of land for the airport project in the 2000s, but successive governments had ignored its development.
Nana Gyare, unhappy about the project's abandonment, which was sited on a huge parcel of land, said they had received some reports that residents had started encroaching on the project site.
He expressed the council’s disappointment in successive governments’ inability to complete the project.
Nana Gyare added that on some occasions, the Holy Family Hospital was overwhelmed with emergency cases, which required urgent referrals to other hospitals.
"If we have this airport facility, those patients can be easily and quickly airlifted for treatment elsewhere," he said.
On other projects, Nana Gyare appealed to the government to establish army barracks in the Techiman area to check for crime and enforce security in the region.
He also called for the dualisation of the Nkwaeso-Oforikrom road to reduce traffic.
Growth
Responding to the appeal made by the council, the Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, said the call for the construction of an Airport in Techiman was apt and promised to follow up on the project.
Mr Antwi said the government had planned to establish a military barracks, a technical university and a cement factory in Techiman to tackle youth unemployment.
He said President John Dramani Mahama had included Techiman in the 24-hour market initiative, where the Techiman Central Market would be upgraded.
