News:
October 4, 2018
Ranking member on Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the indefinite postponement of the inauguration of the newly-constructed Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport and its late notice is bad.
According to the North Tongu lawmaker the move would make investors and foreign partners such as Emirates Airlines lose trust in Ghana.
As part of activities for the inauguration of Terminal 3, which was scheduled for Tuesday, October 2, 2018, Emirates Airlines had planned to land the biggest passenger aircraft in the world, A380 at the KIA.
Mr Ablakwa, in a Facebook post, said: “I am reliably informed that passengers who tried to get first-class tickets were told that the entire First Class cabin had been blocked off for Emirati and Emirates Airlines VVIPs. If this is true, what are we going to do with our VVIP guests who planned to attend a presidential commissioning?
“If it is not the case of destructive politicking, what possibly could account for this late notice of indefinite postponement of the commissioning which has led to last-minute scramble to inform invited guests financiers, contractors, other partners etc. traveling from all across the globe that the event has been postponed?”
“Is this not too much a price to pay because of bad politics and petty partisanship? Granted that this episode will be quickly forgotten, and another issue will come up soon to drown this one out, but I would plead that this decision be revisited, if at all possible, because we may not care, but in other places, someone’s word is his/her bond. Ever tried buying a rug or attire in a market in Dubai or Tehran? Time spent bargaining, drinking coffee with customers and reaching an agreement on prices matters even more than money. Words matter. Agreements matter. Trust matters. In the larger scheme of things, this may not be a big issue, but it doesn’t portray us as trustworthy partners, honestly.”
By : Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com