Private air charter service provider McDan Aviation has denied reports that it owes $3 million to the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), a debt that allegedly led to the closure of its private jet terminal at Kotoka International Airport.
In an interview with Channel One News, McDan Group CEO Kweku Ampromfi clarified that $2 million of the reported amount is tied to a disputed land acquisition from GACL, which is currently under litigation.
“We do not owe $3 million at the terminal. There are three things we have been in discussion with Ghana Airport Company about. The tunnel is one, we also have a piece of land we acquired from them close to the Action Chapel area for which they demand grand rights,” Mr. Ampromfi explained.
Providing further context, he said: “The bulk of what is supposedly owed them is cut from that, but we have been in conversation with them because that land, even though we acquired it from Ghana Airport, is the same land a third party acquired and got their documentation through the Lands Commission, so it is under litigation.
“So we have told Ghana Airport Company several times during our conversations that, because it is under litigation, let’s suspend that for a moment until we clear the legal issues around it. The land is about $2 million thereabout.
“Until it is resolved in the court, it doesn’t make business sense for anybody to be paying any hefty sums of money. So we have had that conversation. We have communicated that several times to Ghana Airport,” he added.
The GACL had earlier stated that the closure of McDan Aviation’s Private Jet Terminal was due to an unpaid debt exceeding $3 million, which included accumulated land leases, rentals, and terminal charges. The company had been given a deadline before Christmas to settle the arrears, which remained unresolved.
This marks the second time McDan Aviation has faced operational challenges at Kotoka International Airport. In February 2022, GACL indefinitely barred the company from operating at Terminal 1 due to alleged breaches of operational protocols.
McDan Aviation officially launched its private jet terminal on January 28, 2022, amid controversies surrounding its operations and compliance with regulatory standards.
As discussions between McDan Aviation and GACL continue, the situation underscores the need for clarity and resolution on financial and operational issues to ensure smooth business operations at Kotoka International Airport.
