The Founder of Upper East development advocacy group Alagumgube Association, Gabriel Agambila, has questioned reports that President John Dramani Mahama will cut the sod for the construction of the proposed Upper East Airport during his visit to the region this weekend.

Mr Agambila described the reported development as premature, arguing that key processes relating to the proposed airport project must be completed before a sod-cutting ceremony can credibly take place.

In a video circulating on social media, Mr Agambila said he had followed developments surrounding the proposed airport and was concerned about claims that a sod-cutting ceremony was imminent.

“Any sod-cutting ceremony at the Upper East Airport site this weekend will be a 419,” he said.

According to him, the drawings and other technical preparations for the airport project are not yet complete, making it difficult to understand how construction could formally commence.

He argued that the airport design would first have to be completed and submitted to the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), while the necessary financing arrangements would also have to be secured before a sod-cutting ceremony could meaningfully signal the commencement of construction.

Mr Agambila therefore urged the government and leaders of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to verify information about major development projects before making public pronouncements.

“I will appeal to the government, especially the leadership of the NDC, to get themselves abreast with happenings before coming out with utterances,” he said.

His comments come amid renewed public interest in the proposed airport project, which has been discussed for several years as a major infrastructure intervention for the Upper East Region.

In January 2026, the Managing Director of GACL, Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, said construction of the proposed Bolgatanga Airport was expected to commence by the middle of the year, subject to the completion of preparatory processes. She said feasibility and technical studies had been conducted on the proposed site at Anateem near Sumbrungu.

Mrs Opare explained that the Civil Aviation Authority was responsible for providing technical requirements and documentation, after which GACL’s Projects Department would develop a concept design for the airport. The design would subsequently go through the appropriate approval processes, including consideration by the GACL Board and relevant regulatory bodies.

The project has also generated expectations among residents and development advocates because of its potential to improve air connectivity, tourism and economic activity in the region.

In July, the Paga Youth Movement appealed to the government to expedite work on the proposed airport, arguing that improved air connectivity would help unlock the Upper East Region’s tourism and economic potential.

There have previously been unconfirmed claims about dates for a sod-cutting ceremony. In June, a Sumbrungu community leader announced that President Mahama would cut the sod on June 29, but the report noted that the date had not been confirmed by government.

Mr Agambila has previously raised similar concerns about premature claims concerning the project. In June, he dismissed reports of a June 29 sod-cutting ceremony, arguing that important groundwork and documentation processes were yet to be completed.

While the proposed Upper East Airport remains an important development priority for the region, Agambila’s latest comments put the focus on the need for transparency, proper project preparation and clear official communication before any ceremony is announced.

As of the latest information reviewed, the government has not been independently confirmed as having officially announced the reported August 13 – 14 sod-cutting ceremony.