President John Dramani Mahama has officially ended the appointment of Charles Kraikue as the Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), effective immediately.
The information was shared through a formal statement released on April 2, 2025, and signed by the President’s Secretary, Dr. Callistus Mahama.
It statement instructed Kraikue to hand over his responsibilities to Stephen Wilfred Arthur, who will step into the role of Acting Director-General of the GCAA.
While announcing the termination, President Mahama expressed gratitude for Kraikue’s contributions throughout his tenure.
“I wish to formally notify you that the President of the Republic has terminated your appointment as Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, effective immediately,” the statement read. “You are to hand over your duties to Stephen Wilfred Arthur, who will serve as the Acting Director-General. The President appreciates the service you have rendered to the country.”
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has approved an initial license for the much anticipated national carrier, according to the deputy minister of transportation, Hassan Tampuli.
On the fringes of an event celebrating Air France’s 90th anniversary in Accra, the deputy minister informed reporters that this approval came about as a result of the government entering into an agreement with a private group. The minister further stated that the government had “already signed a shareholders’ agreement with them.”
“We have incorporated the company, and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority has granted them the first level of licence,” Mr. Tampuli stated.
“We are currently waiting for the company to identify the type of aircraft they will use, and the final licence will be awarded after the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority inspects those aircraft. At present, we are still in the incubation stage,” he added.
Need for due diligence
He replied that it is difficult to give an exact timeline because there is a significant amount of due diligence that needs to be done on the private company when questioned about when the final licence will be issued and the carrier will be exposed.
Furthermore, Mr. Tampuli, the Gushegu Member of Parliament, stated:
“We need to assess our bilateral air service agreement (BASA) to determine which routes are available to Ghana. These considerations and calculations are crucial for understanding the business model that they [the private group] will be applying in partnering with government”.
Two more carriers seek entry into Ghana
The government has received formal applications from two airlines, one based in Italy and the other in Spain, requesting permission to start direct services to Kotoka International Airport (KIA), according to the deputy minister of transportation.
“So, yes, Ghana is open for business. Airlines are coming. They keep knocking on our door and we are ready; we have the infrastructure to accommodate them and give an experience that will make them come again,” he stated.
There are currently 23 scheduled and non-scheduled domestic flights from Africa World Airlines (AWA), PassionAir, and GIAN AIR, as well as 23 international and regional flights that serve KIA.
Commercial air passenger travel in the country is seeing greater recovery than previously anticipated since the easing of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions.
Passenger flows (throughput) have increased across the board with domestic travels recording the highest patronage ever seen in the industry according to data sourced from Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) and Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
The data showed that domestic throughput hit the highest record of all time with 852,101 passengers in 2022, which is more than 101 per cent above the 423,718 travels recorded in 2020 (COVID era).
It is also 23 per cent rise over the 690,314 seen in 2019, a pre-pandemic era.
It further indicated that international travel jumped from 702,651 in 2020 to 1.8 million last year, representing a 156 per cent surge.
However, the data recorded is 15 per cent below the 2.1 million in 2019, and it is rather indicating a faster than predicted recovery by experts and industry players.
Robust aviation navigation
The Director in-charge of Economic Regulation and Business Development at GCAA, Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur, in an interview with the Graphic Business in Accra on February 7, attributed the growth to the investments and robust aviation navigation installations deployed over the years.
He explained that the GCAA has installed modern air navigational equipment at the domestic airports across the country and the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR) to enhance the safety of passengers.
This, he said, had led to minimal incidents, hence passengers’ confidence for flying had increased.
“And based on this there are reliability and availability of several frequencies each day for passengers to choose from.”
“Because of the cost effectiveness and convenience of flying to destinations such as Wa and Tamale instead of self-driving, most people are now opting to travel by air,” he said.
He said that additional route operations by domestic air operators (Wa, Sunyani, and Ho) have also contributed to the growth of the domestic passenger throughput.
Fast recovery
Rev. Arthur noted that a number of factors contributed to the fast recovery experienced after COVID-19 pandemic on the international business; He said an upsurge in patronage of FIFA World Cup in Qatar and yuletide events such as Beyond the Return and Afrochella Music Festival.
He said those activities in the last quarter of 2022 attracted a lot of tourists into the country and that boosted the passenger flow for the period.
He said based on the prospects in the industry some airlines have increased frequencies post-pandemic.
“For instance, British Airways (BA) that used to fly five times a week in 2021 now does daily flights beginning October 2022.
Ethiopian Airline (ET) is also planning to add four frequencies to the already existing daily flights,” he said.
According to him, the growth could also be attributed to the establishment of the National Air Transport Facilitation Committee (NATFC) that has enhanced aircraft, crew, passenger, mail, and cargo facilitation at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), thus an increase in passenger experience.
Growth sustainability
The director noted that there was the need for stakeholders to ensure the availability of a healthy competition among airlines, stimulate new entrants to the domestic market and eliminate monopoly on the regional and international routes.
According to him, continuous improvement in passenger experience at KIA and other domestic airports (improved facilities – Tamale and Kumasi, quick resolution of passenger complaints) was crucial to further facilitate the recovery process.
“There is also the need to extend the operating hours for domestic airline operations at the regional airports,” he added.
Expert opinion
An international aviation expert, Mr Sean Mendis, said globally the outlook for the aviation industry was positive as airlines continue to return to their 2019 peak levels with more barriers to be eliminated to smooth international travel.
He predicted that the industry would this year experience within 10 per cent growth of the previous peaks.
“The outlook in Ghana is also solid, with 2022 having already delivered an all-time record in terms of domestic passenger numbers.
The only concern however is the softening of domestic demand slightly in the fourth quarter of 2022 as the economic situation remained uncertain and foreign exchange rates were extremely volatile.”
“If the economy and exchange rates remain stable through 2023, we can possibly see the domestic flow numbers crossing the one million targets for the first time,” he added.
Industry performance
Further analysis of the data released by the GACL shows fluctuations for both international and domestic air traffic.
Passenger throughput on the international front has risen gradually from 592,276 in 2000 to 2.1 million in 2019, before falling to 702,651 in 2020.
In less than three years, the passenger flow has increased to 1.8 million in 2022, with indications to grow further in the coming years, as the industry is dominated by 22 international carriers.
Also, from 85,166 passengers in 2007, the number of domestic air travellers rose to 778,466 in 2013, before declining to 415,158 in 2018.
The industry, which recorded 690,314 passengers in 2019, experienced a drop to 423,718 in 2020 (COVID era), before rising again to 722,721 in 2021.
The number increased to 852,101 last year.
The travellers were airlifted by Africa World Airlines (AWA) and Passion Air to and from Accra to the six regions with airports — Northern (Tamale), Ashanti (Kumasi), Western (Takoradi), Volta (Ho), Bono (Sunyani) and Upper West (Wa).
Kumasi processed 476,266 passengers, representing 55.89 per cent of the total throughput, while Tamale handled 217,958 passengers, representing 25.58 per cent of throughput, with Takoradi processing 123,930 passengers, representing 14.54 per cent.
Wa managed 25,875 passengers (three per cent); Sunyani took 7,103 (0.8 per cent) while Ho handled 969 (0.1) travellers.
An announcement by the Ministry of Transport should be expected before the end of 2022.
“We have assisted government in the process. What we have done is that the home-based carrier has been given the air-carrier licence by the GCAA. We are at the last stage of granting the air operator certificate, which is the last stage of our processes; and we hope that, very soon, the home-based carrier will be launched,” he said.
During its early period of operations, the carrier is expected to start with some West Africa routes to Lagos, Abuja, Senegal and Gambia, among others, as well as London and other European routes. However, the full list of operational routes will be realised once the final agreement with the strategic partner is signed.
Initial information on the deal suggested that the strategic partner will hold a 49 percent share while local individuals/corporate institutions get 41 percent, with government left holding 10 percent. Establishing the carrier has a potential to generate financial and economic benefits with multiplier effects on Ghana and the West African sub-region.
Talks about operationalising the home-based carrier started in 2018, when a deal was signed with Ethiopian Airlines as the strategic investor. However, this could have changed given the several delays in finalising a set-up of the home-based carrier.
Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA)
Ghana has so far signed more than 65 BASAs with countries across the world. This lays a good foundation for the yet-to-be unveilled carrier.
The BASA allows designated airlines of the two states to operate commercial flights covering transport of passengers and cargo between the two countries.
Over the years, government through the ministry has signed various aviation-related deals with Canada, Rwanda, Seychelles, Jamaica, Namibia and Guyana as it seeks to open more air routes and create opportunities for investment, trade and tourism.
The agreements with these countries will further position Ghana as the aviation hub of the West African sub-region as envisaged by government, as well as maximise the huge investment in on-ground aviation infrastructure.
The Kotoka Airport’s US$150 COVID-19 test fee is being reviewed.
Investing in the AIB
completion of ongoing projects at airports
Having been declared victorious in the December 7 presidential elections by the Electoral Commission chair, Jean Mensa, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, working through his appointees, must now tackle key issues in the aviation sector if the full benefits of air transport are to be realized in the next four years.
Undoubtedly, the re-setting up of the Ministry of Aviation which had been treated as an appendage of the Ministry of Transport as a stand-alone ministry has served the industry well. That decision and the ensuring appropriate budget allocation to the Ministry, has led to the mainstreaming of the sector.
In 2018, the aviation sector contributed US$ 2.5 billion to the country’s GDP. That notwithstanding, the following are the key issues that beg the attention of the President-elect:
Struggling CAA & Airports Company
The current pandemic has revealed in all it starkness the lack of financial buffer for the Ghana Airports Company Limited. The state-owned limited liability company has had to turn to central government for financial assistance to be able to pay salaries due to the massive drop in its aeronautical revenue—Airport Passenger Service Tax, aircraft parking fees etc.
The COVID-19 induced closure of the Kotoka International Airport for scheduled flights from March to September led to a drop of about 80 percent of GACL’s revenue within the period. Since the re-opening of the airport for international flights on September 1, airlines servicing the KIA have recorded low passenger throughput, with load factor ranging between 50-70 percent. Daily pre-COVID-19 frequencies have now been reduced mostly from 7x per week to 4x per week. It is now clear that the GACL must be assisted to scale up non-aeronautical revenue while the state may possibly look at increasing its working capital.
The aviation sector regulator, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), has also seen its major income source severely impacted by the pandemic. It has also received assistance from central government to help with its overheads. However, the financial challenge it faces now needs to be addressed.
New ‘Ghana Airways
It has been the aspiration of successive governments to re-establish a home-based carrier that would once again fly the Ghanaian flag and give impetus to the aviation hub dream. Initial attempts at partnering some major international airlines did not work out. Currently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with EgyptAir to work with the Cairo-based airline in establishing the new airline. The immediate task at hand is to finalise the various shareholders agreements, approval by Cabinet and submission of the agreement to Parliament for scrutiny and approval before the 7th Parliament of the 4th Republic is dissolved in days.
Review of US$150 COVID-19 test charge at Kotoka Airport
Though the antigen test currently carried out on in-bound passengers has helped to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the country, it has greatly increased the cost of travel. As we approach the festive season, a lot more Ghanaians living abroad are expected to return home for Christmas. Though the GACL recently waived the cost for children aged 5-12years, there have still been calls for a reduction in the cost. Indeed, organisations such as the Consumer Protection Agency, Ghana Tourism Federation have made several calls for a review to no avail.
A review of the relatively expensive cost of the test should merit attention.
Resourcing the AIB
The work of the Accident Investigation Bureau will be imperative in reducing the annual accident costs attributed to general aviation in Ghana and the West Africa sub-region.
In recent times there have been major initiatives, such as infrastructural projects and systems enhancements, which combined with this legislation are gradually positioning the country at the heart of civil aviation in the sub-region.
The setting up of the bureau is also in readiness for Ghana’s upcoming International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit in 2021. However, the AIB must be well-resourced to efficiently carry out its mandate.
Completion of on-going airport projects
Completion of the Kumasi, Sunyani, Tamale and Cape Coast airports would be keenly awaited by residents, traders and hospitality industry players. Though works on Kumasi and Sunyani airports are nearing completion, it must be completed on time to open up these two main mid-Ghana cities. Tamale and Cape Coast airports should not escape attention.
Former aviation minister Joseph Adda gave the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the organization that oversees the aviation sector, instructions to work tirelessly to ensure that the three new airlines undergoing certification were operational by December 2018.
The airlines that were undertaking their GCAA accreditation procedure were BabyJet, Ashanti Air, and Unity Air.
Aviation Minister Joseph Adda has directed the aviation industry regulator, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), to ensure that it works assiduously to ensure that the three new airlines undergoing certification become operational by December.
BabyJet, Ashanti Air and Unity Air are currently undergoing their certification process with the GCAA. The three airlines are at different stages of the certification process.
However, with the huge investments in on-ground infrastructure, investors with the capacity to render domestic air services are being encouraged.
“We are also in negotiation with the domestic airlines to begin using the idle airports at Ho and Wa. With the coming onstream of PassionAir, we have also directed the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to ensure that all measures are taken to enable the other local airlines which have applications before us – such as BabyJet, Ashanti Air and Unity Air – also become operational before end of the year,” Mr. Adda said at the 6th Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Airports Company Limited held in Accra.
Additionally, with the completion of Terminal 3 all international airline operations have been moved there; meanwhile, domestic airline operations have been moved from Terminal 1 of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to Terminal 2, which was previously used for international operations,
Terminal 2 of the Kotoka International Airport was recently expanded to cater for the growing traffic. The arrival-hall of the facility was expanded, lifts deployed, additional baggage carousels installed, and check-in counters of airlines increased. This has created more than enough room for more domestic operators.
Mr. Adda assured the board and management of the company that the Aviation Ministry “will not interfere with or attempt to micro-manage any agency. Good corporate governance standards will apply in the sector, and the board and management will be permitted to perform their duties as prescribed by law”.
Reduce taxes to grow air transport
The Chairperson of Ghana Airports Company Limited’s (GACL) Board of Directors, Ms. Oboshie Sai-Coffie, speaking at the company’s 6th AGM urged governments on the continent to “remove counterproductive taxation systems” in order to grow aviation and harness its benefits on the continent.
Ms. Sai-Coffie said: “Africa’s potential remains massive, but until major stakeholders like governments and corporations like ours recognise the wider benefits that an efficient aviation system can bring – with its impact on economic development – that persistent decline over the last decade situation will continue. An important first step would be to remove counterproductive taxation systems, but much remains to be done on the essentially protectionist regulatory front”.
She noted that Aviation in Africa currently provides US$72.5billion in economic activity and 6.8 million jobs, but Africa’s proportion of the global tourism industry is receding – as the continent’s share shrunk from 4.8% of global arrivals and receipts in 2006 to 3.3% in 2016.
IATA predicts air travel growth in Africa will outpace all other regions of the world over the next 20 years, albeit from a much smaller base. Positively, IATA expects 8.0% growth in demand; slightly outpacing a capacity expansion of 7.5%.
“Here in Ghana, we are fortunate to have the support of government, which through the 2017 budget removed the 17.5% VAT on domestic airfares to make domestic travel more affordable. I am happy to note that as a result of this policy intervention, there has been a notable increase in domestic passenger throughput,” she added.
Airports Company’s financial position
Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), the state-owned airports operator, posted a profit before tax of GH¢87million for the 2017 financial year.
The amount was however 43 percent lower than that recorded last year – a situation the company’s Managing Director, Mr. John D. Attafuah, attributed to operational cost and currency exchange losses.
“The company continues to operate profitably with a performance of about GH¢87million profit before tax, which is lower by 43% compared to the previous year. Essentially, operational cost and currency exchange losses attributed to lower profit,” Mr. Attafuah said.
The company’s financial position recorded further improvement of growth in the balance sheet size and quality of infrastructure.
Total non-current assets increased by 19% to GH¢6.4billion – up from GH¢5.4billion in 2016, driven by the increase in property, plant and equipment.
The total assets increased by 15% to GH¢6.7billion, up from GH¢5.8billion in 2016. Total assets value per share increased by 15% to GH¢1,383 – up from GH¢1,202 in 2016.
Liquidity dipped, posting a ratio of 1.87 in 2017 against 6.9 in 2016 – which was below the industry index of 2 times or more.
“Despite uncertainties and challenges with the macroeconomic situation in 2017, most of which were out of the company’s control, management is confident that the completion of Terminal 3 will create opportunities for further growth in the business,” he said.
Passenger throughput up 5.3 percent
Passenger throughput – international, domestic, transit – grew by 5.3 percent in 2017, up from 2,381,917 in 2016 to 2,509,339 at the end of 2017.
Mr. Attafuah, said: “The increase was as a result of removing the Value-Added Tax (VAT) component from domestic airfares in the first quarter of 2017. Promotional fares introduced by some airlines in 2017 further enhanced passenger numbers”.
In respect of freight, the tonnage of goods transported through KIA in 2017 was 50,360 tonnes as compared to 47,677 tonnes in 2016.
The growth of 5.6% was on account of increased exports in the reporting year as demand for non-traditional exports improved.
Following Ghana’s election to the ICAO Council, Mrs. Anita Adjei Nmashie, the country’s permanent representative to the ICAO, will represent Ghana on the ICAO Council for a three-year term.
Ghana won the election at the 41st ICAO Triennial Assembly, which is now taking place in Montreal, Canada, with a resounding majority of votes from the Member States in a hotly contested campaign.
The ICAO Council is a permanent body of the Organization responsible to the Assembly and composed of 36 Member States elected by the Assembly for a three-year term. In the election, adequate representation is given to States of Chief importance in Air Transport, States not otherwise included but which make the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for International Civil air navigation, and States not otherwise included whose designation will ensure that all major geographic area of the world is represented on the Council.
Mrs. Adjei-Nmashie, who is representing Ghana on the ICAO Council has served in the aviation industry for well over three decades. Having started her career with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority as the first female air traffic controller in a male-dominated profession, where she was the only woman among about 50 men.
As ambitious as she is and having tested the joy of controlling aircraft in Ghana’s Accra Flight Information Region (FIR), she decided to explore other areas in the aviation profession. She moved to the Safety Regulation Department, which was another male-dominated field, and became the first female Aviation Safety Inspector of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
By dint of hard work and dedication to her profession, then Management promoted her to become the first female Manager for Aerodrome Safety and Standards in the Safety Regulation Department. The position placed her in charge of Aerodrome Certification, Surveillance, Obstruction Evaluation, and Airport Airspace Analysis (OEAAA) as well as other specialties in Ghana.
She successfully led a team of Aviation Safety experts to certify Ghana’s main international airport, which contributed to Ghana’s position as a pacesetter in aviation in the sub-region.
Ghana subsequently became a Champion State for Aerodrome Certification and Surveillance in Africa in collaboration with ICAO Regional Offices (WACAF and ESAF).
In 2018, Mrs. Adjei-Nmashie became the Deputy Director, Safety Regulation with a scope of oversight responsibilities covering Aerodrome Safety and Standards including certification of Helicopter Landing Sites and Ground Operations, Air Traffic Services, Personnel Licensing, Flight Operations, Aviation Security and Quality Control and Airworthiness.
Ghana had the highest Effective Implementation (EI) score of 89.89 in Africa under the Comprehensive and Continuous Monitoring Approach (CMA) USOAP Program in 2019.
Whilst addressing the Assembly on October 1, 2022, Ghana’s Minister for Transport Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah relied on Ghana’s enormous achievement in the aviation sector in the sub-region to solicit support for Ghana’s candidature for election to part 3 of the ICAO Council to represent the Western Region of Africa.
Ghana’s Transport Minister, together with H.E Anselm Ransford Sowah, Ghana’s Ambassador to Canada, and the Director General of the GCAA, Ing. Charles Ebo Kraikue held several meetings with other Member States to ensure that Ghana’s election to the Council was solidified.
Civilian drone technology was first made available in Ghana in 2015, largely for video and photo shoots. Since then, the sector has developed into a vehicle for the country’s economic change.
With its strategic positioning as a market leader in the delivery of top-notch drone surveying and mapping services, Axis Drone Surveys has been in operation since 2019.
The economic areas of agriculture, health, urban planning, infrastructure, mining, and energy are all affected by these services.
The business sees the need for drone technology in various sectors and offers quick, precise, safe, and highly affordable solutions.
Additionally, Axis has a flawless safety record and has received the proper certification from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) as needed by law.
Axis Drone Surveys’ service offerings are tailored to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its Recent projects have tackled the SDGs of Climate Action, No Poverty, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work, and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The company has made significant contributions to the energy sector by working with institutions that deploy electricity to rural communities both in Ghana and Liberia.
In the agricultural sector, Axis Drone Surveys collaborates with developmental institutions to create project monitoring, audit, and evaluation systems for farm project financing.
Axis has grown organically over time through client referrals and recommendations.
However, challenges are inevitable for a young start-up, especially in its budding stage. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on its business growth and operations.
Nevertheless, through innovation and improvisation, the company was able to explore new avenues for revenue generation, such as the mining sector.
According to Goldman Sachs Research, the global drone business market the opportunity was worth $100 Billion between 2016 and 2020.
This projection is steadily growing with key opportunities being created in drone manufacturing and sales, drone services & drone training. Ghana is a significant player in the African drone space because it currently has the largest drone delivery network in the world.
This has created a conducive environment for young Ghanaians to excel in the industry. Axis Drone Surveys recognizes the importance of technology in economic transformation.
With that focus, the company facilitates mentorship programs for the youth in partnership with academic institutions such as Open Labs.
The business hopes to develop new collaborations and have a greater impact on Africa and the world. Ultimately, the company aims to RESHAPE AFRICA WITH DRONE DATA.
An aviation expert delegation from the Ministry of Transport, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport attended the 41st International Conference on Aviation Safety.
The 193 Member States of ICAO, of which Ghana is a proud member, are anticipated to participate in the eleven-day event, which started on Tuesday, September 27, and is set to end on October 7, 2022.
During the Assembly Session, ICAO’s complete work programme in the technical, economic, legal and technical cooperation fields are reviewed in detail and outcomes provided to other bodies of ICAO and its member States in order to guide their continuing and future work, as prescribed in Article 49 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
The Minister of Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah would be expected on Saturday, 1st October 2022 to address the assembly to tout Ghana’s numerous achievements in the aviation industry as well as Ghana’s recovery in air transportation following the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hon. Asiamah would rely on Ghana’s enormous achievement in the aviation sector in the sub-region to solicit support for Ghana’s candidature for election to Part 3 of the ICAO Council to represent the Western Region of Africa.
In total eight African States, including Ghana will be contesting for seats and reelection to the governing body of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Ghana at the 40th Triennial Assembly in 2019 received two prestigious awards, the ICAO Council President’s Certificate in Aviation Security and the ICAO Council President’s Certificate in Aviation Safety after significantly improving on its safety performance after the last safety assessment in April 2019.
Ghana obtained an Effective Implementation (EI) rate of 89.89%, one of the highest by an African State, after ICAO concluded its Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM).
Some notable members of the Ministers’ delegation included; Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee of transport, Kennedy Nyarko Osei &; MP for Akim Sweduru Constituency, Kwame Governs Agbodza, Ranking Member, Parliamentary Select Committee of Transport; MP for Adaklu, Mrs. Mabel Sagoe, Chief Director Ministry of Transport, Mr. Charles Kraikue – Director General, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and Mrs. Pamela Djamson-Tettey, Managing Director, Ghana Airports Company Limited(GACL).
Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, H.E. Anselm Ransford Sowah also joined the Ministers’ delegation to attend the opening session.
The growth of an aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) business in Ghana is slowly giving the country’s efforts to establish itself as a major aviation center in the West African area more pace.
The Kotoka International Airport will host Ghana’s first maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility after the 3AMS-CELEMS Company Limited completes an ongoing certification process (KIA).
When finished, it will make local MRO services possible for airline operators, particularly those operating in the domestic market as PassionAir and Africa World Airlines (AWA).
The move is also expected to help Ghana take advantage of the global aircraft MRO market estimated at $87.01 billion per annum.
Consequently, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has given the permission for 3AMS-CELEMS Company Limited to proceed to stage four of the five-stage certification process.
Stages of certification
A Senior Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) at the GCAA, Benjamin Owusu, briefing some selected journalists in Accra on September 22, said the stage-four involved demonstration and inspection of the MRO facility.
“It is after a successful demonstration and inspection that the final certificate will be issued for operation of MRO services to start in the country,” he said.
Mr Owusu, who is also Manager in charge of Quality Assurance at GCAA, said the certification process started November 2017 with a certification team established by the GCAA to take 3AMS-CELEMS Company Limited through the process.
This, he said, followed with a pre-application stage where the company was issued with a pre-assessment statement of intent.
He said a pre-application meeting between the certification team and the company with interest to establish the MRO facility would follow to address issues in detail.
“When we are okay with discussions in the meeting we issue the formal application package details of the company and its personnel will be provided.”
“Including the package is also the schedule of events and the kind of manuals that are supposed to be produced,” he said.
Third stage
Mr Owusu stated that the third stage often takes a long time but was completed in March this year and for that reason 3AMS- CELEMS has been issued a letter into the fourth stage.
“The fourth stage being the demonstration and inspection. The certification process is under the Ghana Civil Aviation Requirement (Flight Standard) part six which is on certification of approved maintenance organisation,” he said.
Final certification
The Managing Director (MD) of 3AMS- CELEMS, Clifford Martey Korley, said when the final certification was done, the new MRO operator would be able to repair and maintain single aisle aircraft and Boeing 737s in the country and the West Africa sub-region.
This, he said, meant that domestic operators, Africa World Airlines and PassionAir could service and repair their fleet locally.
“West Africa has only an MRO in Nigeria able to repair smaller aircraft despite being one of the regions where air traffic growth, prior to the pandemic in 2020, was on the ascendancy.
“There are about 32 West African-based airlines servicing the region and 10s of international flights servicing various airports in the sub-region daily,” he said.
He said airline operators in the sub-region have to either fly to Ethiopia, Egypt or South Africa to have faults and regular maintenance carried out on most large aircraft.
The hub agenda
Mr Korley said when his company’s final certification was issued, hopefully by December, it would be able to service all such aircraft in the sub-region, earn money for the country and help hasten the re-attainment of category one status for KIA.
“For Ghana to become an aviation hub, the establishment of an MRO is imperative.”
“The coming on-stream of 3AMS-CELEMS Limited’s MRO operations will greatly accelerate the vision of becoming the go-to aviation hub in the sub-region,” he added.
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has announced a ban on flights to Ghana for an aircraft operated by Delta Airlines with the registration N195DN.
GCAA, in a letter dated August 19, 2022, and addressed to the “Accountable Manager” at Delta Airlines, said, “following the events of August 13 2022, when your aircraft with registration N195DN was forced to return to the gate due to a technical problem, a team of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) inspectors were tasked to conduct an investigation on the circumstances surrounding this occurrence.”
The letter continued; “The investigation revealed that:
1. The crew reported a fuel imbalance issue with the left main tank.
2. The inbound crew experienced this same issue on the flight leg to Accra, i.e., on July 31, 2022.
3. This was the same aircraft that had to return to JKF on July 25, 2022, a few hours after take-off from JFK, and which was widely reported on in various media outlets.
“It was expected that after such a negative reportage, Delta Air Lines would have thoroughly investigated the issue to arrive at the root cause of the failure before dispatching the aircraft on flights. Rather, the aircraft was flown within the United States a number of times and then dispatched again to Accra, only for the problem to reoccur.
“The Authority finds this unacceptable. Therefore, with immediate effect, Delta Air Lines is being advised not to dispatch the B767-332 with registration number N195DN for flights to Accra.â€
“As your ageing 0767 fleets are of much concern to Ghanaian travellers, Delta Air Lines must put in place a plan to change the type of aircraft on the JFK-ACC-JFK route as soon as practicable. Kindly communicate this date to the undersigned in your response. Please be advised accordingly,” the letter signed by Charles Kraikue, Director-General, GCAA, concluded.
Some passengers recently petitioned the Aviation Consumer Protection Office of the US Department of Transportation over the conduct of Delta Air Lines Incorporated.
According to them, their flight from the US on July 24, 2022, was inexplicably delayed.
The flight was then rescheduled, cancelled and rescheduled without sleep arrangements for passengers.
The complainants contend that this inconvenience was on the “flimsy ground that one of its pilots had not reported for work.”
The Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Ing. Simon Allotey, has handed over leadership of the Authority to Ing. Charles Kraikue, who, until his appointment was a Deputy Director-General for Technical Services at GCAA.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Minister for Aviation, Joseph Kofi Kowe Adda, who congratulated Ing. Kraikue on his appointment.
Presenting plaques to Ing. Allotey and Alhassan Abdulai, a Deputy Director-General for Finance and Administration who joins Ing. Allotey in retirement, Mr. Adda commended their exemplary leadership.
Ing. Allotey and Mr. Abdulai thanked the Aviation Minister, the Governing Board, management and staff of GCAA for their support over the years, and wished the incoming director-general well.
Ing. Kraikue recognized the contributions of his outgoing colleagues, noting that the many lessons he learnt while working with both leaders would be immensely helpful as he assumes leadership of the Authority.
In attendance were the Governing Board, management and staff of GCAA; the Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, Mr. Yaw Kwakwa; the Chief of Air Staff, AVM Frank Hanson; and the Director -General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency, Dr. Michael Tanu.
Created in 1986, GCAA is the regulatory agency for air transport in Ghana. It licenses air transport operations, maintains oversight of aviation safety and security, as well as provides air navigation services within the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR), which comprises the airspace of Ghana and a large area over the Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Guinea.
It is also responsible for consumer protection and the promotion of the development of Ghana’s air transport sector.
The Union and Professional Associations within the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) have threatened to withdraw some services which are critical to aviation safety from Monday, March 17, 2020.
“The Union and Professional Associations within the GCAA wish to notify airlines and passengers travelling by air and the public of possible disruption to flight operations within the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR).â€
The notification was in statement signed by William Amoako, Michel Kaamekpor, Patrick Amoah Sarfo, Local Divisional Union, Edem Sabah, Ghana Air Traffic Controllers Association, Mr F.O. Opoku, Ghana Air Traffic Safety Electronics Association, Senam Atadja, Aviation Safety Inspectors Association of Ghana, Gideon A. Adjei, Ghana Aeronautical Information Services Association, Veronica Ama Badu, Senior Staff Association and Nicholas Nyeduala, Ghana Civil Aviation Electrical Staff Association and copied to the Ghana News Agency.
It said: “On February 20, 2020, we held a News conference at which we called for the immediate removal of the Board Chairman of GCAA, Air Cdre.
Rexford G.M. Acquah (rtd), whose incessant interference, among others, in the day-to-day operations of the Authority, including; the issuance of threats to management and staff over internal administrative matters such as the hiring and promotion of staff, had reached alarming proportions.
“We also demanded a cessation of all activities on the two lands belonging to GCAA, a 60-acre land located in La Wireless, and over 600-acre land in Nkwantanan, both in Accra.â€
The statement said following the conference, the Minister for Aviation, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda and the Director-General of the State interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Mr. Asamoah Boateng, held a meeting with the Union, Professional Associations and staff of GCAA on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.
“Sadly, a pledge by the Aviation Minister and the Director-General of SIGA to resolve the issues has not materialized as the Board Chairman remains at post, and construction works, which incidentally severed one of our fibre optic cables and adversely impacted our communication System for hours on the day we met the two leaders, are in full force,†the statement said.
It said: “Additionally, we do not have access to critical aviation equipment on the land, as most entrances have been either dug or blocked, a development that directly places the crucially important services we provide under serious threat.â€
The statement said: “As a result of these issues, this course of action has become necessary in order to safeguard the safety of flights within the Accra FIR.
The taking over of lands earmarked for aviation purposes for private use is not only unacceptable, but also dangerous for the aviation industry and the country as a whole.
“This means that we may not get access to deployed technological infrastructure, on which we depend and this potentially renders us incapable of providing the services that the State has mandated us to offer.â€
The statement said safety was the bedrock of aviation and that “we will not compromise on any situation that negatively impacts the industry.
“We deeply regret the inconveniences that might arise from the withdrawal of these vital services, but in the interest of safety. We must protect current installations and make provisions for upcoming ones”.
