Ghana now ICAO complaint as Civil Aviation Amendment bill is passed

The Civil Aviation Amendment bill has been passed into law by Parliament to ensure that Ghana is ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) compliant.

This new law is to further improve safety and strengthen security in the aviation industry.

Aviation Minister Joseph Adda who moved the motion for the adoption of the bill on Friday, the sector is already doing well by global standards.

Mr. Adda said the Aviation ministry is ranking highly but this amendment is to further take into consideration, deficiencies identified in various assessments of the structures and operational systems of air navigation services.

He added that it will see to the effective implementation of the state safety programmes and accident investigations by setting up an independent outfit under the Minister for the Accidents and Serious Incidents investigations in the sector.

He further said the amendment would also make provision for the funding of the independent outfit to ensure effective work by its personnel.

“The powers of the Director General of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) would also be enhanced to allow for access for accident investigations and information as well as to be able to prevent flights by unqualified personnel,” he added.

Joseph Kofi Adda, Aviation Minister

The same amendment would also see the decoupling of the GCAA segregating the regulatory function and navigation services provision.

“Here too, a new outfit for the Air Navigation Services would be established under the amendment if assented into law by the President,” he said.

Following the amendment, the Aviation Ministry would move to get additional regulations passed through by the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament, all in time for an audit by ICAO later this month.

“All in all, the amendment has far-reaching consequences in terms of Ghana’s rating improving and bringing the country into the Category 1 Status to qualify under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Ghanaian flights to enter into the United States of America,” the Minister explained.

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