 Introduction |
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is the regulatory agency of Government on air transport in Ghana. It also provides air navigation services within the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR), which comprises the airspace over the Republics of Ghana, Togo and Benin and a large area over the Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Guinea.
The GCAA is an Agency under the Ministry of Aviation.
Establishment and History
The development of Civil Aviation in Ghana dates back to 1918 when the idea of aerial transportation was conceived. It was however not until 1930, when a unit for Civil Aviation was created within the Public Works Department (PWD). This was granted Departmental status in 1953 under the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
It remained as such until May 16, 1986, when the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) was established by PNDC Law 151 and assumed the status of a corporate body under the Ministry of Roads and Transport.
In November 2004, PNDC Law 151 was repealed and replaced by the Civil Aviation Act 678 under which the GCAA was decoupled to enable the Authority focus on its core regulatory role. The law also assigned GCAA responsibility for air navigation services.
Consequently the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) was established and the two entities decoupled, effective 1st January, 2007.
GCAA has over the past years invested in the training of personnel, the installation and rehabilitation of equipment and facilities to ensure conformity with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. A three-phased re-development programme started in 1991, has also seen a complete transformation of facilities and services under the control of the GCAA.
Ghana’s Air Traffic Control serves as the coordination centre for the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR) with jurisdiction over the airspaces of the Republics of Ghana, Benin and Togo and a large area over the Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Guinea. The Accra FIR is bound on the North by Niamey, West by Abidjan, East by Lagos and Kano, Southeast by Brazzaville and South by Luanda FIRs.
| Functions |
The main primary functions of the GCAA as stipulated in Section 3 of its enabling statute are:
- The regulation, promotion, development and enforcement of safe air transport operations and services
- The licensing of air transport and all personnel engaged in air transport services.
- Provision of air navigation services within the Accra Flight Information Region;
- The licensing of the provision of accommodation in aircraft and licensing and certification of aerodromes and navigational sites.
- The co-ordination of search and rescue services within the Accra FIR and taking security measures to safeguard air transport, life and property.
| Structure |
The GCAA is structured into two main divisions, namely,Technical and Finance & Administration. These are headed by Deputy Directors-General, who report to the Director-General (i.e. the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority).
The Technical Division comprises the Safety Regulation, Air Transport Regulation, Air Traffic Services and Engineering Departments.
Under the Finance and Administration Division are the Finance and Human Resources Departments.
Two other departments, Internal Audit and Legal report directly to the Director-General. The Corporate Communication Section also reports directly to the Director-General.
The Director-General is accountable to the Board, which is the policy making body of the Authority. The Board in turn reports to the Minister of Aviation
| Corporate Mission |
“To provide safe and secure air navigation and regulatory services in an environmentally responsible manner”.
| Corporate Vision |
“To become world-class aviation services provider”
| Corporate Values |
- Passion for safety and security
- Dedication, timeliness and quality in service delivery
- Commitment to teamwork and people-oriented policies
- Integrity, trust and professionalism in our business transactions
- Commitment to good corporate governance
- Innovation and efficiency in all our operations
| BRAND PROMISE |
