Accra, Oct. 21, GNA - The Director of the Air Traffic Services at the Kotoka International Airport, Mr Adjei-Darko, has commended Air Traffic Controllers for doing an excellent job during the year. "Although you have performed excellently, I urge you not to be complacent, but to endeavour to maintain the high standards you have attained in the years to come," he said.

Mr Adjei-Darko said this during an interaction with journalists and a section of Air Traffic Controllers, as part of activities to mark Air Traffic Controllers Day which fell on October 20. The celebration was under the theme; "Efficient Service Delivery for Improved Safety". Touching on the possible effects of the recent oil find in the country on the aviation industry, Mr. Adjei-Darko said measures had been taken to ensure that the likely increase in air transport within the country as a result of the find in the near future would be contained. He said one key measure was that air traffic controllers would be adequately supplied within the major airports in the country, among several other measures.

Mr Adjei-Darko commended the Ministry of Aviation for what he described as "quick measures" towards the oil find. He said with the emergence of the credit crunch which had become a global issue, the aviation industry had begun a programme to make air traffic controllers more efficient in order to reduce the duration airlines spent at airports, adding that this was because the crunch had the potential to affect airfares.

Mr Foster Danso, President of the Ghana Air Traffic Controllers Association, said many people did not know what it took to get flights to move about safely, adding that the annual celebration was to serve as an open-day to showcase the job of Air Traffic Controllers to the public and also to set the agenda for the on-coming year.