The Banjul Accord Group (BAG), which comprises of seven African States- Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia and Cape Verde- yesterday, converged at the Bintumani Hotel in Freetown on an epoch making meeting that seeks to foster security and development within member states aviation sector.
Officially opening the plenary session of the weeklong meeting, the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Balogun Koroma explained that despite all the distractions and re-direction of resources to overcome and end the Ebola scourge, Government is still on track with its development programs… “Government is planning to build a new airport at Mamamah on the main land,” the minister echoed.
“Sierra Leone is one of those countries that are committed to regional integration and cooperation. We believe in the principle of more hands make work light and productive,” he said.
The Minister also noted that most of the efforts put together to get the organization to efficiently and effectively operate are very useful in improving the effective implementation status of the international Civil Aviation Organization and the Standards And Recommended Practices (SARPs).
In his opening statement the Chairman of Sierra Leone Aviation Authority, Captain Victor Spaine said at the just concluded 39th Assembly of ICAO, African States collectively called on the Assembly to direct the Council to adopt measures to assist African States actualize the decision concerning the liberalization of access to air- transport market in Africa.
He noted that BAG States have always played a pioneering role in Aviation development. “Little wonder then that we have produced the first female Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (ACAC) and the current president of ICAO.”
Acting Head of BAG Secretariat, Baboucar Cham said that during the deliberations some of the issues they would be looking at are safety, accident and investigation, and market access.
Source: awoko.org
