After the inspection and approval by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority of the aircraft, they will be sent to the Ethiopian Airlines Maintenance Repair Organization for final paint work. This would be followed by naming the aircraft after all the presidents of Ghana since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.

Mr Eric Bannerman, the Executive Chairman of Goldstar, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra said the naming will take the following method: 9G-AKUFO-ADDO, 9G-JOHN MAHAMA, 9G-ATTA MILLS, 9G-JOHN KUFFOUR and 9G-JERRY RAWLINGS in that order.

“Aside having their names embossed on the Boeing aircraft, which concludes the first phase of having the names printed on the aircrafts, the company also plans to include the name of the former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, and other former Presidents on the next fleets of aircraft, which the company is finalizing terms with the owners,” Mr Bannerman added.

The company, according to the Executive Chairman, would soon send letters to the offices of the current and all former Presidents and the former United Nations Secretary General for their permission and approval.

“Having their names printed on the aircrafts will open up the frontiers of the country’s tourism sector, making Ghana the investment destination in Africa,” Mr Bannerman said, adding that “the names and pictures of our current and former presidents embossed on the aircrafts ties in with the core morals of the company.

“A nation that honours its living heroes and heroines is worth dying for. Therefore, the company considers it fit to honour our current president and his predecessors.  Goldstar Air is a wholly owned Ghanaian Airline based in Accra, Ghana, ambitious, and strategically positioned to provide scheduled and non-scheduled passenger air service to USA, Europe, Asia, Middle East and West Africa.

Twelve airports-Baltimore, Rhode Islands. London, Dubai, Guangzhou, Lagos, Monrovia, Freetown, Abidjan, Dakar, Conakry and Banjul- have been selected as destination airports from Accra, Ghana.

Mr Bannerman announced that Goldstar Air plans to inject a rapid growth to the West African tourism market, which is currently under-serviced. “As a Ghanaian registered Company, we plan to utilize the country’s status as the “Gateway to West Africa” to develop the West Africa market by introducing scheduled flights from all the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) countries through Accra (Hub) to North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia,” the Executive Chairman said.

He added that the airline will institute the characteristics of low-cost carrier packages and tours operations methodology, which has to date been successful in Ghana, North America and Europe.

Although periodically there are isolated disturbances in some neighbouring West African countries, Ghana offers a stable political and economic environment. From an investment perspective therefore, Ghana offers potential investors a low-risk and attractive value preposition.

Goldstar Air has procured the services of top management personnel, who have many years of experience in Management, Technical, Marketing, Customer Service and Aviation Regulatory Affairs. The stated goal of the Goldstar Air management team is to provide an amazing customer experience through the provision of the best service at reasonable cost for our passengers and other clients.

The airline estimates to create a minimum of five thousand direct and indirect jobs in Ghana. Some of the jobs which the youth will benefit from are Pilots, Ground Service Crew, Service person in maintenance, Cabin crew, Counter Agents, Travel Agents, tour operators, country and station managers.

Others are accountants, flight dispatch, Drivers, Marketing Personnel, Air Marshalls, Cargo Agents, Catering Services, Hotel Accommodations, and Fuel Suppliers.