The newly constituted governing board of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), chaired by Ing. Simon Molai Allotey, has pledged to work closely with management and staff to restore Ghana’s top position in Africa’s aviation industry.
Speaking at a staff durbar held at the GCAA’s headquarters at Kotoka International Airport on Friday, 18 July 2025, where the new Board was introduced, Mr Allotey, a former Director-General of the Authority, reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safety, security, efficiency, and innovation in civil aviation.
Mr Allotey expressed the Board’s appreciation to President John Mahama and the Minister for Transport, Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, for the confidence reposed in the Board’s members.
“We will live up to expectations,” he assured, recognising the commitment and hard work of the GCAA workforce. “Your dedication to operational excellence has been the backbone of this great institution. I am proud of you.”
He also congratulated Mr Theophilus Ago on his appointment as Acting Deputy Director-General (Technical), pledging the Board’s full support in his new role.
Highlighting Ghana’s past achievements, Mr Allotey recalled that just before exiting the GCAA as DG, the Authority achieved a nearly 90% score in the ICAO USOAP audit—then the highest in Africa—earning global recognition and safety awards at the 40th ICAO Assembly in Montreal.
“Today, Ghana ranks fourth behind Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, and South Africa. We must reclaim our position as champions of Africa,” he declared.
To this end, he said the Board will prioritise sustainability through enhanced revenue generation and prudent resource use. The Board also intends to support the government’s ambitions to establish a new national airline and a flight training academy at Ho Airport, in line with Ghana’s vision of becoming a major aviation hub.
Credit: joyonline