Ghana is preparing to restore its presence in the aviation industry with plans to relaunch a national airline within the next 12 months, more than two decades after Ghana Airways ceased operations.

The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, said the government is working towards establishing a new national carrier as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s aviation sector and improve regional and international connectivity.

Speaking during the launch of Air Tanzania’s flight services in Accra, Nikpe said a special task force had been established to handle the technical, financial and regulatory processes needed to make the airline a reality.

He expressed confidence that the country would soon witness the return of a Ghanaian carrier to the skies.

“Within the next 12 months, we will be celebrating a Ghanaian airline flying to the rest of the world,” the minister said.

Ghana Airways, the country’s former national carrier, ceased operations in 2004 after years of financial and operational difficulties. The airline was later liquidated, while subsequent attempts to establish a sustainable national carrier failed to produce long-term results.

The current government, however, believes the latest effort will succeed. A 10-member task force was established to develop a sustainable business model and oversee the process of creating a new airline that can compete effectively in the aviation industry.

Although officials have not yet announced full details about the airline’s ownership structure, fleet or launch routes, the government says work is progressing on documentation and regulatory requirements.

The planned return of a Ghanaian national airline is expected to boost connectivity, support trade and tourism, create jobs and strengthen Ghana’s ambition to become a major aviation hub in West Africa.

If the plans are successfully implemented, the country could soon see a Ghanaian airline return to the skies, marking the beginning of a new chapter more than 20 years after the end of Ghana Airways.