A Ghanaian Journalist, Kwesi Parker-Wilson, in an open letter to President John Dramani Mahama, has implored him to make Ghana fly again in the skies
He wrote;
Your Excellency, I write this letter not as a policymaker or politician, but as a deeply moved Ghanaian who still believes in the promise of our nation.
A few weeks ago, as I sat at the Adinkra Lounge at Kotoka International Airport, waiting to board my flight to Addis Ababa, I found myself overcome by a quiet sadness. Around me were aircraft from foreign countries, all magnificent machines representing the ambitions of their nations. But not a single one bore the red, gold, and green of Ghana.
In that moment, I felt a sense of loss. How did we, a proud people who once carried our flag high across the skies through Ghana Airways, become so dependent on others to carry us even to our own continent? In that moment, I asked myself: where is Ghana in the sky?
Hours later, as I landed at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, that sadness turned into reflection. Before me was a vibrant display of Ethiopian Airlines’ fleet, an airline owned by Africans, run by Africans, employing over 10,000 Ethiopians, and proudly carrying the spirit of a nation. The aircraft all proudly bearing their national colors took off and landed with precision and pride. It wasn’t just about airplanes; it was about a nation in motion.
I saw young Ethiopians working as pilots, engineers, flight attendants, technicians, and ground staff. Every smiling face and every engine roar spoke of a country that believed in itself. The presence of the airlines which dominated the tarmac all represented what national vision and discipline can achieve.
That scene struck a deep chord. Ethiopia is not wealthier than Ghana. Its history is not smoother. Yet through focus and commitment, it built an airline that is now Africa’s largest and most profitable, connecting over 130 destinations worldwide. Kenya Airways, with more than 5,000 employees, and Air Côte d’Ivoire, with nearly 800 workers, tell the same story that African success is possible when leadership meets purpose. And as I stood there, Mr. President, I couldn’t help but ask myself a question that many Ghanaians have quietly asked for years: Why can’t we do the same?
We once did. Ghana Airways was more than a carrier it was a symbol of independence, of confidence, and of our place in the world. Its red, gold, and green tailfin carried the spirit of Ghana across continents. To board a Ghana Airways flight was to feel the warmth of home before even landing on our soil. The collapse of that airline did not only ground planes it grounded a part of our national identity. And though several attempts have been made to establish new carriers, none have yet captured the scale, pride, or permanence that Ghana Airways once represented.
Mr. President, If these nations all African, all operating within similar economic realities can soar, so can we. We have the expertise, the location, and the human talent to build a new Ghana Airways, one that represents the confidence, creativity, and resilience of our people. Reviving a national airline is not about nostalgia; it’s strategy, economic, social, and symbolic. It is about creating thousands of jobs for our youth in aviation engineering, logistics, tourism, and customer service.
It is about building regional connectivity, supporting trade under the AfCFTA, and restoring a piece of our national pride. In line with your RESET Agenda which seeks to rebuild, strengthen, and reposition Ghana’s key sectors the revival of a national carrier would stand as a defining pillar of that renewal.
Beyond transportation, a revived Ghana Airways can become a powerful engine for job creation and cultural diplomacy.
The in-flight catering that accompanies every journey offers vast economic potential from farmers who grow the ingredients to chefs who prepare the meals and flight attendants who serve them. By sourcing and serving authentic Ghanaian dishes such as jollof rice, waakye, kelewele, or grilled tilapia, the airline would create sustainable livelihoods across agriculture, food processing, hospitality, and logistics. Every meal served in the sky would tell the story of Ghana, warm, creative, and proud of its heritage.
Through our cuisine, we would not only feed travelers but also export our culture, turning each flight into a platform for soft-power diplomacy and national branding.
This is not a call for state monopoly, but for strategic collaboration. Ghana can form a public-private partnership with reputable global manufacturers such as Boeing or Airbus, or even explore joint ventures with Ethiopian Airlines, whose management model has proven efficient and profitable. We could also leverage Ghana’s strong diplomatic and business ties to invite local investors and the private sector into a consortium, one guided by accountability, professionalism, and the vision to build an airline that competes globally while staying proudly Ghanaian.
Mr. President, I believe the time has come for Ghana to reclaim the skies. Let us begin with a National Aviation Revival Plan, one that assesses feasibility, partnerships, and sustainability. It is time for the Ghanaian flag to fly again above the clouds, not just on the ground. But dreams alone are not enough. Leadership turns dreams into history.
Mr. President, this is your final term in office, your final opportunity to etch a legacy that will outlive politics. You have the chance to be remembered not just as a president who governed, but as the one who made Ghana fly again. Let this bold step form part of the RESET Agenda, a practical manifestation of Ghana’s renewal and self-belief. Imagine the day when Ghana’s colors once again grace the skies, when our pilots, engineers, and flight attendants proudly serve under a flag that represents their homeland. That, Mr. President, would be a legacy greater than monuments or slogans. It would be a living symbol of national pride and unity.
As Dr. Kwame Nkrumah once said, “The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart.”
If other African nations can rise above dependency to chart their own course in the skies, then Ghana, the Black Star of Africa must not remain grounded.
Your Excellency, the time has come for us to believe in Ghana again. Let’s give our people a reason to look up and see Ghana flying.
Yours faithfully,
Kwesi Parker-Wilson
A Ghanaian Journalist.
