President Mahama has commended airport authorities for their efforts to crack down on begging, soliciting money and other favours from visitors.

At Ghana’s airports, begging and soliciting money from passengers has been a persistent problem,  particularly at the Accra International Airport, where some airport staff (immigration, customs, port health, security, and service contractors) request what they describe as ‘breakfast money ’, while some port health officers charge foreigners $40 instead of the approved $20 for Yellow Fever cards.

Recently, two staff were expelled for the same reasons.GACL MD Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare: “Just about two weeks ago, we’ve had two people expelled from the airport in the car park, workers who asked passengers for money. And instantly, because we were able to identify and zero in on the specific people, we were able to have them leave the airport immediately.”

Reacting to the move, President John Dramani Mahama has commended the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and other agencies for their efforts in sanitising the travel experience for visitors.

He stressed that the practice puts Ghana in a bad light, particularly to foreigners, urging workers in the aviation sector to demonstrate professionalism, discipline and good hospitality.

“I’m happy that the Ghana Airports Company Limited and the Civil Aviation Authority and other institutions working at the airport are taking a tough stance against soliciting and begging visitors for tips. It reflects very badly on our country,” he said on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at a sod-cutting ceremony for the Multi-Tiered, Multi-Purpose Car Park and Airport Hotels Complex at the Accra International Airport.

According to the President, every interaction between a visitor and an airport worker can shape perceptions about Ghana, whether at immigration, baggage handling, traffic management or other service points.

He noted that the manner in which visitors are received at immigration, the efficiency of baggage services, cleanliness and the conduct of service providers all contribute to their first and final impressions of the country.

“Every institution and every worker at this airport contributes to Ghana’s image,” he said.

About the Airport car park project

Meanwhile, the construction of Ghana’s first multi-purpose car park and hotel complex is set to begin as President John Mahama cuts the ribbon for the project at the Accra International Airport.

The project is expected to have about 2,030 parking spaces and two hotels with a combined 370 rooms, with one 120‑room 5‑star hotel and one 250‑room 3‑star hotel.

Speaking at the ceremony held on Thursday, August 27, President Mahama indicated that the project and other ongoing infrastructure works at the airport were solely being funded with internally generated revenue from the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), stressing that no part of the project is being financed by the Central government.

“The government of Ghana has not given any of the two institutions one single cedi for these projects. The Ghana Airports Company Limited and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority are financing them entirely from their own resources,” President Mahama said, urging the two institutions to continue using their own resources to develop airport infrastructure.

Purpose of the project

President Mahama explained that the project is intended to modernise the airport enough to handle the future growth and provide a better experience for travellers.

“This is about preparing Ghana’s principal international gateway for the demands of the future, improving the experience of passengers and visitors, and ensuring that our airport infrastructure keeps pace with Ghana’s economic and development ambitions,” he added.

He also revealed that, for some time now, passenger traffic at Accra International Airport has increased exponentially by about 700,000 passengers, representing a growth of about 39% over the past three years.

“Passenger traffic through the Accra International Airport has increased from 1.8 million in 2022 to 2.5 million in 2025. This growth in passenger numbers is one of the reasons for the new development at the airport,” he stressed.