Nana Kwaku Duah(Komfo Adu Esaase near Kodie Ntoa Komfo),has appealed to the Akufo-Addo government and the Ministry of Aviation to consider naming the Kumasi International Airport after Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, after its expansion.
According to him, naming and calling the facility “Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Airport” would not be out of place considering the enormous contribution the Asantehene has made towards the socio-economic growth of the country.
He explained that the track record of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for the past 24 years, since he ascended the Golden Stool, has been overwhelming.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
Nana Kwaku Duah
Speaking to the media on Thursday, 4th January 2024, he observed that the reign of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had been characterised by exceptional and exemplary traditional and executive leadership which calls for an honour to encourage him to do more and also inspire others to contribute their quota to nation-building.
He reminded the government that “a country which does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for”. He noted that some organisations and institutions, as well as landmarks, had been named after some prominent personalities who have contributed to the growth of humanity and that it will be proper if the Kumasi Airport is named after the Asante King who has been instrumental in the upgrading of the status of the facility.
Nana Kwaku Duah cited the naming of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) after Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana; the Kotoka International Airport, Yaa Asantewaa Girls SHS, Prempeh College, Prempeh Assembly Hall, Len Clay Sports Stadium, Rattray Park in Kumasi, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Rawlings Park, Tweneboah Kodua SHS, among several others, as the basis of his proposal.
Komfo Adu also highlighted the instrumentality of the Asante King in securing a World Bank facility to provide boreholes to vulnerable communities across the country, describing this feat as historical.
Apart from that, the King of Asante has played a key role in the construction of the Kumasi Central Market. He has also lobbied support for the government’s “Agenda 111” hospital projects during his recent foreign trip, among other interventions.
Nana Kwaku Duah also pointed to the institution of the landmark Otumfuo Education Fund, Otumfuo Charity Foundation, Otumfuo Health Fund as well as Otumfuo Teacher’s Award scheme which he described as healthy achievements worthy of commendation because of their significant impacts on the Ghanaian society.
According to him, in the area of education, about 400,000 brilliant, needy students and the girl-child have benefited from the largess of the Asantehene at the basic education level, secondary and tertiary institutions throughout the country with infrastructural facilities such as modern schools with ICT centres, head teachers and teachers’ bungalows, which are aimed at promoting education in the country.
Touching on Asantehene’s outstanding innovations and excellence chalked up in the educational sector, Nana Kwaku Duah said over 3,000 beneficiaries, including headmasters, headmistresses and teachers who have received a variety of award schemes from the Otumfuo Teachers’ Award Scheme Secretariat.
It is also on record that the King offered a vast land for the Manhyia Government Hospital to expand hospital facilities.
He mentioned that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II recently launched a $10 million ‘Heal Komfo Anokye’ project, a fundraising campaign for the renovation and modernisation of the main blocks of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
The peace treaty the Asantehene initiated at KNUST before the 2012 General Election to ensure peaceful coexistence among the political parties in the country was seen to have contributed immensely to the peace Ghana enjoyed and is still enjoying under the Akufo-Addo administration.
Nana Kwaku Duah also mentioned the peace process the King initiated in the Abudu and Andani royal stool gates affairs and said this achievement called for the nation’s highest award to be bestowed on the Asantehene.
He said the vital role the King played in resolving the Dagbon crisis to ensure peace among Adanis and Abudus culminating in the enskinment of the Dagbon Overlord is highly commendable.
It is based on these reasons and others that the Islamic scholar is advocating that the Asantehene deserves a lasting honour for his statemanship role in human development. He, therefore, appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo to consider honouring the Asante King by naming the Kumasi Airport after him.
Work on Phase Two of the Kumasi Airport Project began in 2018. It includes the construction of a new terminal building to handle one million passengers per annum, two boarding bridges, a road network, perimeter fence, a substation and parking lot, among others. The cost of the expansion work is estimated at £66,350,000.
Phase Three of the Kumasi Airport Expansion Project involves the extension of the existing runway pavement from 1,981 metres to 2,320 metres, construction of new taxi link and two apron parking stands, an air traffic control building, a fire station, among others. The cost for this phase is estimated at £58,900,000.
The Kumasi Airport is currently served by two domestic carriers, namely Africa World Airlines (AWA) and Passion Air. The project contractor is Messrs Contracta Construction UK Ltd.Source:
tntnewspapergh.com with additional file by Sabstatin Freiku
