Ghana has been awarded two International Civil Aviation Organization Council President certificates for maintaining one of the highest aviation safety and security standards Globally at the International Civil Aviation Organization 40th assembly in Montreal.
Speaking at the event, President for the International Civil aviation Organization Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu stressed on the need to maintain safety in the aviation space.
He said, “it is important for us to continue to remind ourselves that even in the era of innovation, Aviation safety, security and sustainability must remain our most fundamental priorities “.
The safety award is in recognition of Ghana obtaining Africa’s highest score in Aviation Safety Oversight after scoring a provisional Effective Implementation (EI) rate of 89.89 per cent.
This was after the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) concluded its Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) on April 3, 2019, in line with the United Nations Aviation Agency’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme.
The award for security is in recognition of Ghana’s high commitment to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s recommended standards and protocols on security at the Airport and Ghana’s Airspace.
Overall, 16 certificates were awarded for safety and 17 certificates awarded for security to member states of ICAO who had improved upon their safety and security standards.
Present to receive the awards for Ghana was the Minister for Aviation, Hon. Kofi Ada, Director General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority Engineer Simon Allotey, Ghana’s Ambassador to Canada Nii Ayikoi Otoo and the Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company limited Yaw Kwakwa.
Minister for Aviation remarked that the awards were a great achievement for Ghana which was a result of hard work and perseverance.
He further noted the aviation sector held a lot of potential for developing the economy. He said “aviation holds a lot to transform our lives. The socioeconomic benefits are there but all comes from the safety and security which we’ve been able to achieve”.
The ICAO council president certificate in Aviation security was established in support of the No country left behind the initiative by ICAO.