Deputy Minister of Transport,
Hon. Hassan Tampuli; Chief Director Ministry of Transport, Mrs. Mabel Sagoe; Minister of Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah;The Commissioner, Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), Engr. Charles Irikefe Erhueh and Commissioner of AIB-Ghana, Mr. Prempeh Akwasi Agyeibi, during a visit/meeting at the Minister’s office, Ghana Ministry of Transport Building, Accra recently.
The Commissioner, Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), Engineer Charles Irikefe Erhueh has emphasized the importance of adequate funding for the regional investigators’ capability to carry out its functions.
Erhueh who explained the functions to include providing technical and logistic support for the region when there is an incident or accident, made this known during a courtesy visit on Ghanaian Minister of Transport, Honorable Kwaku Ofori Asiamah ahead of the technical committee meeting taking place in Accra, Ghana from November 8-12.
The BAGAIA commissioner said the regional accident investigative body has a lot of programmes and projects to execute in the region.
Adding that the agency needed the funds to procure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other equipment that would be needed when accident or incident occurred, the BAGAIA boss therefore, urged the minister to ensure that Ghana makes provisions to clear her outstanding contributions to BAGAIA and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to make some of these achievable .
“With fall out for support and equipment drive in terms of PPE and other equipment the investigation team will definitely need when there is an accident and incident. “Honorable Minister, in other to achieve these, there is need for funding so I would like to seek your indulgence to ensure that Ghana is able to clear her outstanding contributions to BAGAIA and ICAO,” he said.
Erhueh also called for funding for Ghana’s newly established investigation agency so that it would be able to meet its mandate to enhance safety in the country.
“Also we look for your further commitment and support for the newly created investigation agency because if there is no commitment, funding and putting all the necessary tools in place for the agency they will not be able to strive at meeting the obligations. You know definitely that this purpose is safety enhancement and compliments most of the things ICAO has identified as open items for Ghana.
In his remark, the Ghanaian Minister of Transport, Honorable Kwaku Ofori Asiamah sought BAGAIA’s technical support to AIB-Ghana, stating that any open item can be closed faster with the regional body’s involvement.
Asiamah said,”I think it is important that we strengthen institutions in our transport sector. Especially issues relating to security and safety, you know in aviation, most of our requirements are based on safety and security so once that we set up institutions to deal with these things, I think we are home and dry
“As you know we have just set up our Accident investigation centre. We are missing one or two issues, I am using this medium to solicit if there’s anything you can do to help us work faster in terms of technical support.”
