Paramount Chief of the Sempe Traditional Area, Nii Adote Otintor II
The Paramount Chief of the Sempe Traditional Area, Nii Adote Otintor II, has launched a scathing attack on the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), accusing it of engaging in “lawless” and “hostile” actions in its takeover of facilities belonging to McDan Aviation.
In a strongly worded press statement dated March 14, 2026, the Sempe Mantse described the events surrounding the March 11 operation as a direct affront to Ghana’s judicial system and a dangerous signal to indigenous investors.
According to him, officials of GACL allegedly stormed the private Fixed Base Operator (FBO) terminal at about 1:00 a.m., despite being served with a court injunction a day earlier, forcibly taking over property and equipment in what he labelled “midnight justice.”
“This act is not just a breach of contract but an assault on the very spirit of Ghanaian entrepreneurship,” he fumed.
The chief further accused GACL of deliberately disregarding contractual obligations, particularly the mandatory 90-day notice period required before any eviction. He argued that such provisions exist to safeguard heavy investments made by local businesses and should not be ignored at will.
Addressing claims of indebtedness, the statement insisted that although there had been a brief delay in payments due to global economic pressures, McDan Aviation had acted in good faith and settled all outstanding obligations. He described the takeover as “economic sabotage” and “high-handedness” against a wholly Ghanaian-owned enterprise.
Nii Adote Otintor II warned that the implications of the incident go beyond a single company, stressing that such actions risk eroding investor confidence in the country.
“When local investors feel unsafe in their own country, we kill the motivation for future generations to take plausible investment risks,” he cautioned, questioning whether similar treatment would be meted out to foreign investors.
He also raised concerns about possible political interference, suggesting that the takeover may be a calculated attempt to displace a local business for the benefit of individuals connected to power.
The Sempe Mantse has therefore called on the President and the Ministry of Transport to urgently intervene by restraining GACL, reinstating McDan Aviation at Terminal 1, and ensuring strict adherence to due process in resolving the dispute.
“We will not stand by and watch our indigenous businesses be dismantled,” he declared, urging authorities to protect local enterprises rather than undermine them.
The statement ends with a stark warning: “Stop killing our spirit.”
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