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Aviation Authority to develop GATA into regional hub

By GNA
Social News Aviation Authority to develop GATA into regional hub
JUN 26, 2016 LISTEN

By Kodjo Adams, GNA
Accra, June 26, GNA - The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is assiduously developing the Ghana Aviation Training Academy (GATA) into a regional Aviation training academy to attract people from the sub region, Mr Simon Allotey, GCAA Managing Director has said.

The Authority has been designated by the African Regional Aviation Safety Group as the lead organisation to assist states with significant aviation safety concerns in Africa.

He said the Authority is expanding aviation infrastructure and the liberalisation of air transportation services, to facilitate the on-going transformation of Kotoka International Airport (KIA) into a regional hub.

Mr Allotey said this in Accra during a monitoring visit to the Authority by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport.

The team toured GCAA facilities including the new training academy, proposed land for Air Navigation Services Complex, Air Traffic Control Centre and Tower, Voice Communications Centre and the Radar to have first-hand experience on how it works.

The Managing Director said the Authority is implementing the aviation safety charge as well as developing other sources of non-aeronautical revenue to meet the financial needs of its operations.

He commended parliament for passing the new Civil Aviation Bill in December 2015, saying the gesture has enhance passenger rights and access to more modern aircraft by operators.

Mr Allotey said his outfit had certified KIA for meeting international standards for aerodrome operations and developed a corrective action plan with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) towards the re-attainment of FAA category one status to enable Ghanaian registered carriers fly directly to the US.

He said GCAA is initiating process to further decouple Air navigation services provision from regulatory services, which is in line with best practices and working hard to bring into effect the new civil aviation directives for drones' operation.

The Authority had designed and constructed a new Air navigation complex and upgraded the installation of communication gadgets to enhance safety of air space and the entire Accra flight information region.

He cited high cost of financing aviation industry infrastructure, encroachment of GCAA lands, land use management, drones, wind turbines and the emerging security threat due to terrorism as some of the challenges that the organisation faced.

Mr Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, Chairman of the Committee commended the Authority for its transformational projects, adding that the Committee would perform its oversight responsibility to ensure efficiency in their operations.

He promised to channel their grievances before parliament for discussions and redress and called for capacity building to the Committee to be more abreast of the Authority's operations.

GNA

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