The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Brigadier General Anthony Ntem, led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) at Kotoka International Airport on Thursday, July 17, 2025.

The purpose of the visit was to formally introduce himself to the Authority and initiate cooperation and collaboration between the two government institutions on matters relating to air boundary management.

Welcoming the delegation, the Acting Director-General of the GCAA, Rev Stephen Wilfred Arthur, provided an overview of the Authority’s mandate, which includes regulating Ghana’s air transport industry, overseeing economic regulation, and providing air navigation services within the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR).

Rev Arthur noted that the GCAA gained autonomy in 1986 through the promulgation of PNDC Law 151, which has since been amended. The most recent legislation governing the Authority is Act 1120, passed in 2024.

For his part, Brigadier General Ntem expressed appreciation to the Acting Director-General for the insight shared regarding the GCAA’s operations.

He explained that the Ghana Boundary Commission was initially established under Act 795 in 2010, which was repealed and replaced by Act 1123 in 2024.

He outlined the Commission’s functions, including the delimitation of airspace and the resolution of issues concerning air boundary disputes.

“When we have issues with neighbouring countries regarding airspace boundaries, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is one of the key institutions involved. GCAA is also expected to be part of the Airspace Boundary Technical Committee, which is yet to be formed. Therefore, I deemed it fit to introduce myself and my team and begin formal collaboration on these matters,” he said.

Brigadier General Ntem further noted that, in addition to airspace, the Commission also handles land and maritime boundary matters.

In response, Rev Arthur emphasised the importance of familiarising the GCAA with the provisions of the Ghana Boundary Commission’s new Act to enhance collaboration.

“We pledge to be supportive of your mandate because we operate under the same government. It’s like we are branches of the same tree, we may grow in different directions but share common roots and a trunk, which is the government and the nation. Regardless of how things have been in the past, we believe there is a great opportunity to collaborate more effectively,” he said.

Rev Arthur proposed that the two organisations hold biannual meetings to facilitate knowledge-sharing, suggesting that GCAA’s strategic outputs could serve as valuable inputs for the Commission.

“It is only fair and appropriate that we engage meaningfully to improve our systems,” he added, noting that such collaboration could help resolve issues concerning the Accra FIR.

He also highlighted that cooperation would enhance the GCAA’s provision of air navigation services. The Authority’s Air Navigation Services (ANS) Division is responsible for the airside of the airport, the airspace above the aerodrome, and the oceanic space.

He called for the sharing of protocols and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) related to oceanic air boundaries with the GCAA, noting potential joint operations with the Ghana Maritime Authority, such as search and rescue missions in oceanic airspace.

“Even if something exists from the past, emerging trends and standards may require us to re-examine whether they remain relevant. Whether it's the oceanic side or our land boundaries, we must share technical demarcations to ensure we are working with the same information,” he added.

He assured the Boundary Commission that the GCAA would make available all relevant technical charts and coordinates of the airspace.

Supporting the Acting Director-General’s remarks, the Authority’s Acting Deputy Director-General (Technical), Theophilus Adonis Aryee Ago, stated that the GCAA would intensify engagement with the Commission to gain a deeper understanding of airspace demarcation, especially since Ghana shares air boundaries with distant countries such as Rwanda.

Ago noted that the current delineation of Ghana’s airspace even covers São Tomé, reinforcing the need for clarity and collaboration in demarcation matters.

At the end of the meeting, the Commission presented a copy of its new Act to the Acting Director-General of the GCAA.

ID/MA