The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has strongly refuted recent reports alleging operational deficiencies and safety concerns at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), West Africa's second-busiest aviation hub.

In an official statement released on Friday, May 23, GACL management dismissed the claims as factually inaccurate and misleading, emphasising that KIA maintains full compliance with international aviation safety standards.

GACL explained that critical navigation and security equipment, including Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and baggage scanners, are fully operational. Staff safety protocols meet International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements, and access control measures align with global best practices for airport security.

The airport, which serves over 3 million passengers annually, recently passed its 2024 ICAO safety audit with 92% compliance, invested $15 million in new security screening technology and maintained zero major safety incidents for 27 consecutive months.

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) also confirmed that KIA's Category 1 safety rating remains intact, while the International Air Transport Association (IATA) included Accra in its 2024 Global Operational Safety Audit whitelist.

Read the full statement below:

“The attention of Management of GACL has been drawn to a publication in the Herald Newspaper of Friday, May 23, 2025 on various media platforms.

GACL wishes to respond as follows:

The article alleges that there is only one operational vehicle. On the contrary the Airside Operations Section has two dedicated vehicles to support the airside operations, in addition to a fleet of operational vehicles available for round the clock use.

The assertion that only three pairs of wands are currently operational is false. The number of marshalling wands used depends on aircraft movement. Currently there is a surplus of marshalling wands in stock for operations at the company’s central stores.

Staff of Airside Operations Section have been provided with the required quantity of Personal Protective Equipment (i.e reflective vests, wellington boots, raincoat, safety boots, hand gloves, ear defenders, googles & safety blankets). This assertion is categorically false. PPE’s were distributed in Accra and the regional airports as well.

The claim that Motorola radios used for coordinating operations are mostly unserviceable is false. The Airside Operations section has been provided with adequate handheld and base radios for effective communication between the Airside Operations and Air Traffic Control.

Regarding access to some restricted areas of the airport, there is a protocol where Aviation Security grant staff access to restricted areas as and when necessary. This is to enhance security while maintaining safety standards, therefore the allegation of airside staff unable to access certain restricted areas to carry out inspections is false.

There is currently no agitation amongst staff of Airside operations as a few bad nuts would want. Staff found complicit in fabricating and spreading malicious lies about the organization to put the image of the company, the management and the government’s image into disrepute emanating from their own parochial interest will be dealt with severely.

Media houses who accept to disseminate defamatory articles without researching the facts will also be dealt with according to the full rigors of the law.

Ghana Airports Company Limited remains committed to providing the highest level of safety and security to both staff and passengers.

Facts and pictorial evidence of the items being purported to be lacking tools for airside operations are captured below”.