Be innovative to improve GCAA’s financial fortune – Transport Minister to new board

The Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has implored the new board of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to be innovative and work assiduously to improve the financial fortunes of the Authority, which he said is in a dire situation.

He said COVID-19 has left the sector to struggle, resulting in travel restrictions and loss of jobs, hence, the role of the new board is crucial towards recovery and deepening of gains.

“You will come to appreciate the fact that the financial fortunes of the Authority are in a dire situation and you will need to be innovative as a board to improve the situation,” he said in a statement read on his behalf by the deputy sector minister, Hassan Tampuli.

The minister also beseeched the nine-member board to employ a harmonized and inclusive approach to facilitate safe domestic and international air travels.

The board members have also been tasked to keep themselves abreast with the Authority’s business, take strategic decisions for implementation by management, ensure good corporate governance and also uphold the values of accountability, efficiency, probity, and transparency in the discharge of their duties.

“You will agree that the envisaged economic benefits will elude the nation if it loses sight of re-enforcing safety and security protocols as stipulated in International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 17 and related Standards and Recommended Practices (SAPRs).

You must recognize that, for Ghana to become the hub, there must be conscious efforts and some amount of investment to improve the safety and security of the sector. The investment must be made in state-of-the-art equipment for communication and surveillance to enhance better coordination and improvement of the airspace safety,” he told the new board.

New Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower

In the quest to ensure safety and security within the West African Region, Mr. Asiamah said the board as matter of urgency must also work closely with management to see to the construction of the new Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower which has already started.

“During the ICAO audit of the sector in 2018, you recall that Ghana was adjudged the best in Africa in safety and security of its airspace with a score of 89.89 percent. In this regard, it is our collective duty to ensure that this standard is not only maintained but also improved upon,” he said

Labour agitations

“The Authority has been challenged in recent times with labor agitations from its union workers over the use of aviation lands and other matters. These are matters of concern to the Ministry and you are entreated to engage management and the labor unions to forge a peaceful working relationship for the smooth running of the Authority,” he implored the board

Members of the board

Members of the board include Captain Powis D. Spencer, Charles Kraikue, Mabel Sagoe, Kwasi Owusu Ansah, Air Commodore Jacob Anum Ashrifie, Joyce Opoku Boateng, Cecilia Kwofie, Ofori Kofi Newman and MP for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai constituency, Alfred Obeng Boateng.

On behalf of the board, Captain Powis D. Spencer expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the confidence reposed in the members and assured that it will work to strengthen the policy direction of the Authority in ensuring that government’s agenda of making Ghana an aviation hub is achieved.

He also said they will ensure that a conducive environment is established to leverage the years of experience of its members and together with the GCAA management and Staff create that single synergy to achieve progressively positive results.