Govt moves to avert looming flight disruption at Kotoka International Airport

Aviation Minister, Joseph Kofi Adda, has met representatives of the Air Navigation Services (ANS) and La Traditional Council to find an amicable solution to the agitation over encroachment and threat to aviation installations at the La Wireless Station Aviation Training School in Accra.

ANS, which is a department within the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and responsible for managing air traffic on behalf of the country, has threatened to down tools on Wednesday, October 14 and disrupt flight operations over the purported sale of parts of its La Wireless Station and junior staff bungalows adjacent the AU Village in Accra.

Speaking to AviationGhana after the meeting, Mr. Adda said: “The ANS officials know that we are doing this in good faith and that the understanding is for them to hold back the disruption of services to flights and to allow them to continue on until we get the final solution to the matter, hopefully by close of business on Wednesday, October 14, 2020.

“The major issue is the disruption of services due to perforation of cables at the ANS station. This affects signals of incoming and outgoing flights.

“The concerns of the ANS about the disruption of flight services in and out of the country is being addressed. We have had discussions with the La Traditional Council authorities, who stood in for the developers, and the Lands Commission Chairperson about the major issues we are confronted with,” he added.

Renewal of lease agreement

The La Wireless Station Aviation Training School in Accra was leased by government on behalf of the GCAA for a total of 99 years. As at last year, there were 27 years left on the lease. The lease has since been renewed for an additional 63years but with portions of the land reverting back to the La Traditional Council.

Developers, backed by the Council, have since started redeveloping portions of the land. It is this activity that caused damage to some underground cables of various ANS installations. This threatens aviation safety in the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR).

More time needed to relocate staff

Mr. Adda revealed that staff affected by the redevelopment of parts of the land in issue will be relocated to other decent facilities.

“We have come to some understanding on the window that we need to resolve the matters that are before us now. That is, to be able to get some time frame to relocate some of our staff that are in bungalows that have to be reconverted into new developments.

“Also some of the developments that have to take place in the government allocated lands which are closers to the transmitters and receivers stations are things that we have to deal with. We will need some more time to be able to resolve these matters.”

Presidential Jet caught in the mix

Mr. Adda revealed that the Presidential Jet had issues communicating with air traffic controllers last week.

“Last week, I understand that there was a bit of a problem with the presidential jet coming in, as the signals were not very clear. That was an issue arising from what is happening at the La Wireless Station area.