The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has prioritised a stronger security culture across the country’s airports as aviation threats, including terrorism, continue to evolve globally.
Managing Director of GACL, Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, said Ghana cannot afford complacency, stressing that robust security practices are essential to protecting the aviation sector and sustaining investor and passenger confidence.
She was speaking at the Aviation Security Culture Week, an initiative aimed at strengthening awareness, professionalism and shared responsibility among airport staff and industry players.
“I wish to assure all GACL staff, particularly our aviation security personnel, our stakeholders, and everyone gathered here today that management is fully committed to the security culture program and will continue to champion its implementation across all our airports.
“The aviation security landscape is constantly evolving. Threats have become increasingly complex and sophisticated.
“These realities demand heightened vigilance, continuous innovation, and collective responsibility. We cannot afford complacency. Our airports are national assets. They must be protected at all times with unwavering commitment against acts of terrorism and unlawful interference,” she added.
The Managing Director of GACL also commended the aviation security department for the remarkable success achieved during the ICAO aviation security audits conducted sometime in February 2024, where Ghana was recorded with an excellent performance and outcome of the audits.
Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe, also speaking at the event, underscored the importance of aviation security in maintaining public trust and ensuring the long-term growth of the sector.
He noted that a secure aviation environment is critical for passenger safety, emphasising that the government is not relenting in its efforts to secure the aviation sector against potential threats.
“Government on its own is working hard to ensure that we create a kind of seamless travel by making sure that everybody is secure and safe when it comes to travel in the aviation industry. That is why the government has implemented advanced passenger information and passenger name record systems.
“This will allow our security agencies to be able to detect, even at the purchase of your ticket, who you are, what threats you possess, and what they can do to keep or to ensure that they’re safe and ensure security at our airports. We cannot sit and allow these threats to continue to affect our industry,” the minister remarked.
Director of Safety Regulation at the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Franklin Otchere Gyamera, on his part, acknowledged the aviation sector’s critical contribution to socio-economic development.
He noted that the sector’s strategic importance has also made it a prime target for global terrorist attacks, underscoring the need for enhanced safety and security measures across the industry.
“We therefore need the collective sacrifice of all efforts and cooperation by the various stakeholders in the aviation industry, and therefore the development and preservation of a strong security culture is one of such measures,” he said.
