Aviation safety requires collective responsibility

A four-day workshop on aviation safety and operations dubbed “Africa Safety and Operations Workshop 2024” has been held in Accra.

It was organised by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in collaboration with Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) on the theme “Recommitting Ourselves to Safety in Operations.”

Participants were from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Benin and other countries in Africa.

Deputy Minister of Transport, Hassan Tampuli, who opened the workshop said aviation safety was a shared responsibility that requires collective effort and commitment of all stakeholders.

In this regard, he noted that, the government prioritised the safety of Ghana’s airspace and had made investments in infrastructure, technology, and regulatory reforms over the years, to improve the safety and efficiency of air travel.

He said, investment in communication and surveillance equipment to improve coordination and airspace safety as well as continuous training, and education was critical to enhance safety in the aviation industry.

“Pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance technicians, and ground staff must all be well-trained and up-to-date on the latest safety protocols and procedures. This workshop is therefore a great opportunity for us to come together and share our knowledge and experiences to further enhance safety in the industry,” Mr Tampuli added.

He said Ghana recorded an increase in air passenger traffic on both domestic and international routes over the past few years, indicating that the aviation industry had recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and was on track for growth

“By the end of 2023, international passenger traffic had increased to 2,914,661 compared to 2,328,750 in 2019. Domestic passenger traffic, on the other hand, increased from 690,314 in 2019 to 775,662 at the end of 2023. The number of international aircraft movements and domestic movements is also on a steady rise from the slump during the COVID era,” he stated.

To meet the challenge associated with the increase in aircraft movements, Mr Tampuli said the government would provide the “necessary support and policy direction” on key issues for the development and improvement of the aviation sector.

Additionally, he noted that, the government would continuously invest in aviation and related infrastructure, regulatory reforms, and service improvements to enhance airports efficiency and airspace safety.

He urged the participants to be proactive in their approach to the safety of the air transport industry and collaborate, educate, and innovate to position the sector to drive economic growth.

Deputy Director-General in-charge of Technical at GCAA, Daniel Acquah, said the main objective for the workshop was to improve collaboration on aviation safety in Africa while reinforcing the safety in operations message.

He noted that, it was designed to ensure the sharing of best practices, reviewing safety performance and exploring innovative solutions with actionable strategies to address the challenges in the aviation industry in Africa

Thabani Myeza, Director of Africa Affairs, CANSO, reiterated the need for linkages between stakeholders to enhance collaboration in the exchange of ideas and strategies for improved safety in airspace operation.

BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS