https://www.myjoyonline.com/encroachment-of-aviation-lands-endangering-safety-workers-cry/-------https://www.myjoyonline.com/encroachment-of-aviation-lands-endangering-safety-workers-cry/

The staff of the Civil Aviation Authority has expressed concern about what they say is the deteriorating state of aviation safety in the country.

A statement issued on June, 20 and copied myjoyonline.com blames the encroachment on aviation lands as the main cause of the problem.

According to the statement, the Authority acquired two parcels of land at the Adenta (La Nkwantanan) and Labadi (La Wireless) for aviation development and expansion, part of which it said was taken over by the President Kufuor government in 2007 for residential purposes.

The statement further said the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken over “almost the whole of the La Nkwantanan land, between Madina and Adanta.”

Speaking to Joynews on behalf of the staff of the Authority, William Amoako explained: “for some time there has been a lot of controversy over the land litigation.”

He disclosed the Authority took “those lands for Aviation purposes but we have seen a lot of construction going on and our investigation reveals they have been sold for commercial purposes.”

They are concerned about the lack of land to install communication equipment.

He said the Authority needs a communication and surveillance equipment to help communicate effectively with flights.

The encroachment on those lands he disclosed “means our communication capabilities are deteriorating every now and then and at a point we may not be able effectively communicate with the other aircraft to be able to separate them from one another.”

They appealed to the government to ensure as a matter of urgency that those lands are returned to the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.

Read full statement:

 

PRESS RELEASE

AIRCRAFT   SAFETY UNDER THREAT

 

The  staff  of Ghana  Civil  Aviation   Authority   (GCAA)  wishes  to  bring  to  the  notice  of the  general public  the  likelihood  of our  inability  to provide  Air Traffic  Services  in the Accra  Flight  Information Region   (FIR  -   Accra   Airspace)   due  to  unavailability    of  land  for  the  installation   of  vital  safety equipment  for Communication,   Surveillance,   and other Navigational   Aids.

Two   parcels   of   land   were   acquired    for   Aviation    development    and   expansion    at Adenta   (La Nkwantanan)   and Labadi  (La Wireless)  for use as receiving  and transmitting   stations  respectively,  and for future  aviation  development   and expansion.

In 2007,  the  government   at the  time  forcefully   took  over  part  of the  Wireless   lands  for  residential purposes   leaving  only  a  fraction  for  aviation   development.   Today the AU village is now a private gated housing community.

Under  the  current  government,   almost  the whole  of the  La  Nkwantanan   land,  between  Madina  and Adanta,  has been taken  over  by "the  powers  that  be" for non-Aviation   developments.   These lands are currently   under the control   of private   developers   and investors,   putting   commercial    interest over Aviation safety and development.

These  actions  of politicians   in the  last  10 years  have  been  detrimental   to the  Aviation   industry  and have the tendency  to erode all the gains achieved  by the country  in Aviation.

For  months,   HF  equipment   purchased   by  GCAA  worth  over  600,000   Euros  for  installation   at  La Nkwantanan   to enhance  communication   are still  in GCAA's   stores.  Our  engineers   have  been  denied access  to the site to make  a preliminary   preparation   ahead  of the arrival  of their  foreign  counterparts due  in the country  on the  I ph July,  20 I 6. Our  inability  to  install the HF  equipment,   as well  as other navigational   equipment   at the  site  will  have  a dire  consequence   on aviation  safety  in Accra  airspace. The control of aircraft over the oceanic is seriously being hampered by this unfortunate situation.

We are aware that, the management   of GCAA, as well as the ministry of Transport, has made several appeals, and has justified   the need to; at least, give about 250 acres of the land back to GCAA, but all to no avail.

We want  to reiterate  that  if the  said  land is not released  for the  installation   of this  vital  equipment, the system can shut down  and we may not be able to provide  Air Traffic  Services over the ocean and other portions of the airspace. This will have safety and security implications for the country and the industry in general.

It is against  the  backdrop of such  improper  encroachment   and/or  virtual annexing and grabbing  of government acquired    lands intended for aviation use that   the Ghana Air Traffic Controllers Association (GHATCA), Ghana Air Traffic Safety Electronics   Association (GhATSEA), the Ghana Aeronautical Information Services  Association   (GHAISA), Aviation Safety Inspectors  Association  of stakeholders of  Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, express our displeasure and   indignation with the current development on the La-Nkwantang land.

In the   light of the above, we are appealing to the government and all other parties to get the La Nkwantanan land back to GCAA as a matter of urgency.

 

 

 

 

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