The Paramount Chief of the Sempe Traditional Area and Mankralo of the Ga State, Nii Adote Otintor II, has condemned what he describes as a “hostile takeover” of McDan Aviation’s private terminal by the Ghana Airports Company Limited and called on the government to intervene.
In a press statement issued on March 14, the chief accused the airport authority of acting in disregard of the law during an operation at the private Fixed Base Operator (FBO) terminal operated by McDan Aviation.
According to him, officials of the Ghana Airports Company Limited allegedly entered the facility around 1:00 a.m. on March 11 to seize property and equipment despite what he said was a court injunction served on the company a day earlier.
Describing the development as “midnight justice,” Nii Adote Otintor II said the incident represents not only a breach of contractual obligations but also an attack on the spirit of Ghanaian entrepreneurship and the rule of law.
He further claimed that the airport authority ignored a mandatory 90-day notice period required for eviction, a provision he said was intended to protect the significant investments made by the Ghanaian-owned aviation firm.
The Sempe chief acknowledged that there had been a brief delay in payments by the company but maintained that the outstanding obligations had since been fully settled. He argued that shutting down the business over what he described as a rectified administrative issue amounts to economic sabotage against a local enterprise.
McDan Aviation, a subsidiary of the McDan Group, operates a private jet terminal at Terminal 1 of the Kotoka International Airport. The chief said the facility has contributed to positioning Ghana as a destination for private aviation services.
Nii Adote Otintor II also raised concerns about what he described as troubling optics surrounding the takeover, warning that actions perceived as hostile to local investors could discourage indigenous entrepreneurship.
He further expressed concern about alleged political interference in the matter, suggesting that the move could be intended to benefit individuals close to political power.
As Paramount Chief of the Sempe Traditional Area, he called on the President and the Ministry of Transport to immediately intervene in the dispute.
Among other demands, he urged authorities to restrain the Ghana Airports Company Limited from taking further action against the company, reinstate McDan Aviation at the FBO terminal, and ensure that the matter is resolved through proper legal and contractual processes.
He stressed that indigenous businesses should be supported rather than undermined, noting that local investments play a critical role in job creation and national economic development.
“We will not stand by and watch our indigenous businesses be dismantled,” the chief said, urging authorities to protect Ghanaian entrepreneurs who invest in the country’s future.
