GHANA AIRWAYS - Business (not) as usual

[Yak97]

GH business as usual, another day another aircraft impounded

QUOTE

Ghana Airways defrays debt
Accra, Feb. 10, GNA - The Chief Executive of Ghana Airways, Mr Philip Owusu, has said the airline has raised the needed funds to defray the balance of 110,000 Euros it owed Euro-control over aeronautical charges.

The transfer instructions for this have therefore been effected before the close of business on Monday, he said.

Mr Owusu, who was speaking to newsmen in Accra concerning the impounding in London of a Ghana Airways aircraft for not paying the charges said although the necessary transfer of payment had been made, Euro-control management insisted on releasing the aircraft only in exchange for cash.

He said the Ghana Airways plane was expected to depart London by 1500 hours on Tuesday, adding that some 200 passengers, who should have departed London last Sunday, were presently being accommodated in hostels.

Mr Owusu said urgent steps needed to be taken to save Ghana Airways from severe financial difficulties.

Source: GNA

UNQUOTE

I see that Eurocontrol are learning hard-ball tactics

[KiloMIke]

I understand they were asking for cash this due to the fact when the aicraft was impounded a few weeks earlier the cheque bounced when GH paid!!

[Yak97]

Nationwide is not in race for Ghana Airways
…As Gov’t moves to retain majority shares in new partnership

GHANA AIRWAYS IS not in talks with Nationwide, contrary to media reports suggesting that the national carrier is embroiled in partnership talks with the South African-based company and two other minor airlines in a move that would see Ghana lose its majority stake in the national carrier.

There are also no plans by government to lose its majority stake in Ghanair, this paper has learnt. Instead, four groups of companies comprising various airlines have been short-listed as potential partners for the trouble-laden Ghana Airway following a selective bidding process to find a solution to the problems plaguing the airline.

The companies are Fidelity Consortium, which is made up of KLM and Kenya airlines; Ghanair Partners, Ghana International Airline and Solutions Incorporated.

Out of the four potential short-listed partners, sources say the Ministry has written to three, with Solutions Incorporated yet to be informed of the bid process because they presently have no representative in the country.

Confirming Gye Nyame Concord’s findings in an interview Friday, Mr. Ken Anku, Head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Roads and Transport, said there was no iota of truth in reports that Nationwide has been selected as partners for the national carrier.

“I dare those who claim that Nationwide and some smaller airlines have been selected to come out with concrete evidence and facts to back their assertions, and to name the other airlines if the source of their information is credible” noted Anku.

He explained that there was no way Ghana would be a minority stakeholder in the proposed partnership under review since Ghana was a signatory to the Chicago Convention, which requires that for carrier to fly the flag of a country, at least the government of that nation, its citizen or a corporate entity from that country must have a minimum 50% stake in the airline.

He said Government’s position on the airline is that it wants a partner willing to take a minimum 20% equity stake in the airline, with a maximum stake of 49%.

“Government is not in search of management consultants but real partners for the airline”, he said, explaining that the Kufuor administration has decided to bail out the debt portfolio of the airline once a suitable partner is found in order to allow the airline to fly to its glorious heights”.

Source: ALFRED OGBAMEY for GYE NYAME CONCORD

Unquote

Any body know anything about the 4 bidding parties (KLM - Kenya Airways. Air France might have something to say about that).

[Wizard]

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/sil2/l.php?date=1080936657