Ghana must leverage North-South flight routes for economic development – Ing. Leslie Alex Ayeh

The President of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), Ing. Leslie Alex Ayeh has related Ghana’s “slow economic development” to the over reliance on cash crops and the failure to leverage its strategic location in the north-south flight routes as well as the east-west routes.

Delivering the 50^th Presidential address of the Institution on the theme: Aviation, A Catalyst for Structural Transformation and Sustainable Development in Ghana, Ing. Leslie Alex Ayeh, argued how using aviation as a vehicle for transformation had been instrumental in the rapid development of several nations such as Ethiopia, Singapore, Dubai and Morocco, and that Ghana could achieve similar results if it got its strategy right.

“Improvements in the air transport infrastructure would help to raise living standards and alleviate poverty in Africa by lowering transport costs, supporting a more rapid economic growth and increasing personal mobility.

The aviation industry is particularly important for countries that adopt an outward–oriented development strategy in providing access to wider markets.

Though there are six generally accepted models for aviation development, the model or model combination that Ghana will choose must fit into the global agenda in a way that will encourage international players to buy-in,” he stated.

The 50th Presidential address of the Institution was hosted by the GhIE in Accra on 5^th February 2021.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the address was done via zoom meeting platform and was joined by a large number of engineers in Ghana and on the African continent.

At the end of the presentation, the Chairman lauded Ing. Ayeh for presenting such a comprehensive work on the aviation industry. 

 He encouraged stakeholders in the industry to acquire the document and add it to their body of knowledge since it will be beneficial in their decision making.

Source: Joy Business