Aviation Minister has asked foreign companies that supply high-tech equipment to the airline industry in Ghana to train Ghanaians in the maintenance of such equipment to cut down cost.

“Many a time, we have to fly down technicians from abroad to come and fix the least problem when there is a fault with an equipment,” Cecilia Abena Dapaah said.

Ms Dapaah said this during an interaction with the Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Maria Alonso, and the Head of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Spanish Embassy, Ms Celia Perez, when they paid a courtesy call on her in her office in Accra.

Reason for visit

The Spanish delegation had approached the Minister for Aviation about a Spanish multinational technology company, Indra, which has been contracted by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to deploy an automatic air traffic management and surveillance systems at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

The air traffic and surveillance devices installation is part of efforts by the government to modernise the country’s air traffic management system.

The automated management system is to cover air traffic control en route, on approach and landing, as well as the entire oceanic sector.

It will also support search and rescue operations within the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR) and check-in services for airlines.

The government contracted Indra in 2016 to install a number of workstations for use as stimulators for the training of air traffic controllers.

It also provided the GCAA Training Academy with an air traffic simulator, featuring 3D control tower visuals and en-route air traffic control workstations, and has been helping the GCAA to maintain and improve air traffic management safety standards in the country.

Safe airspace

Ms Dapaah said Ghana’s aerospace was currently one of the best in the world and the country was not ready to compromise on its air safety record and standards.

Indra

The Spanish Ambassador said Indra, one of the leading providers of air traffic management and surveillance systems in the world, had over the years built a strong relationship with the GCAA as its main technology provider.

She said in the past, the Spanish Embassy had worked with the Ministry of Transport and the GCAA, but following the establishment of the Aviation Ministry, it had become necessary to build a relationship with the new ministry.

She accepted the proposal to include training and maintenance service in the contract arrangement.