Deputy Transport Minister Hassan Tampuli with the new board members
A NINE-member newly constituted board for the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has been inaugurated with a charge to work with management to enhance coordination and improvement in airspace safety.
The board members included Capt. Powis D. Spencer, Chairperson; Charles Kraikue, Mabel Sagoe, Kwasi Owusu Ansah, Air commodore Jacob A. Ashrifie, Joyce Opoku Boateng, Cecilia Kowfie, Ofori Newman and Hon. Alfred Obeng Boateng, all members.
Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, in a speech read on his behalf, said the aviation sector is one of the worse hit in the COVID-19 pandemic adding that the financial situation of the authority is not the best.
“You would agree that the envisaged economic benefits will elude the nation if we lose sight of re-enforcing safety and security protocols as stipulated in ICAO Annex 17 and relation Standards Recommended Practices (SAPRs),” he said.
Mr. Asiamah said for Ghana to become the hub, there must be conscious efforts and some amount of investment to improve safety and security of the sector.
“I therefore wish to encourage you to work closely with management to see the construction of a new Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower within the shortest possible time… the non-execution of this project could potentially impact on the safety and security of Ghana’s airspace,” he stressed.
He also urged the new board to engage management and the labour unions to forge a peaceful working relationship for the smooth running of the authority.
Speaking on behalf of the board, Capt. Spencer said the board would work towards ensuring good corporate governance and upholding the values of accountability, efficiency, probity, and transparency.
“We will keep ourselves abreast with the authority’s business and make strategic decisions for implementation by management,” he said.
BY Jamila Akweley Okertchiri