GCAA suspends licence of aircraft for carrying arms

Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has with immediate effect suspended the licence of a Boeing 707 aircraft with registration number 9GLAD belonging to Race Cargo Airlines, Ghanaian company, for attempting to deliver a consignment of arms to the government of Liberia in Monrovia.

The Air Operator's Certificate of the Airlines, whose proprietor is Mr Chris Anderson, a Ghanaian, has also been suspended, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Michael Ofori- Attah said.

The statement said when the GCAA received the information on Thursday, it immediately set up a committee to investigate the circumstances of the delivery, which represents a possible violation of Civil Aviation Regulation Number 44, that forbids the carriage of weapons or munitions of war by a civil aircraft without the consent of the Authority.

The statement said, "every effort is being made by the Authority to get to the bottom of this matter, including cooperating with Interpol for the examination of the proprietor, Mr Anderson, who is currently out of the country".

It said the company has been duly notified of the decision, adding that the public would be informed in due course of the outcome of the inquiry and the relevant actions that would have to be taken.