General Aviation crucial to dev't in aviation sector

Accra, 8 May, GNA - Ms Gloria Akuffo, Minister of Aviation, on Thursday observed that one aspect of aviation that was crucial to the development of the Aviation industry in the country was the area of General Aviation.

She said whilst it was very important for airports to operate within International Civil Aviation Organisation requirements, as well as to ensure that standard aviation practises were held, it was also very necessary to pay attention to areas of aviation such as aircraft maintenance, building, Ultra light aircraft operation, the setting up of training institutes in various areas of aviation, as well as pilot and engineering training, which were the core areas forming the aspect of aviation known as, "General Aviation".

Ms Akuffo said this in a keynote address at the opening of a two-day General Aviation workshop in Accra under the theme; "Promoting The Growth of General Aviation and Allied Services in Ghana."

She said, whilst the country's aviation sector was experiencing positive changes such as increase in number of passengers as well as airlines operating at the country's airports as a result of structural changes within the sector, there was still a lot more to be done to ensure more growth within the sector.

The Aviation Minister said General Aviation had a number of qualities that made it most needed in the development of the aviation sector.

She said in spite of the increased number of airlines that operated at country's airports because of conducive policies, the country, for example, lacked expertise to take care of the corresponding increase in maintenance requirements.

Ms Akuffo said aircraft repairs and maintenance supposed to be done in Ghana were often done in other countries at great cost for lack of expertise, adding that human resource development also depended on training outside which was also very expensive.

She said, Genneral Aviation, encompassing aircraft building, servicing, training of personnel on aircraft maintenance, repairs as well as flying, if well established, could generate more avenues for employment and also cut down on the high cost of servicing aircraft as well as training personnel outside the country. She said the building and use of light aircraft in the country was also most needed, since there were certain parts of the country which were not very easily accessible.

The Minister said such aircraft could also be of great use to the country's agricultural sector as well as its health service delivery system and disaster management and that it would also be a boost to tourism. Ms Akuffo said there was the need for a National Aviation Development Plan which would determine the development of the aviation sector within the country.

Air Vice Marshall Julius Okyere Boateng, Chief of Air Staff who chaired the function said Ghana could pick lessons from countries that were ahead "of us in General Aviation such as The United States of America."

The workshop is being attended by participants from the Ministry of Aviation, Ghana Air force, Ministry of the Interior, National Disaster Management Organisation, Ghana Fire Service, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and other stake-holders in the aviation sector. 08 May 08