GCAA workers threaten to withdraw essential services starting today

Workers of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) have threatened to withdraw essential services including air traffic from today (14 October) over encroachment on their lands.

This follows the workers’ inability to reach an amicable agreement on the matter after exhausting all avenues with management, the Ministry of Aviation, Labour Commission and National Security, and a subsequent petition to the president.

A statement sighted by www.asaaseradio.com and copied to airlines in Ghana said: “We are sorry to bring to your notice that staff of GCAA may be embarking on an action to withdraw some essential services, including air traffic services, from Wednesday 14 October 2020 to demand the return of lands taken away from the organisation.”

The statement said the reallocation and sale of these lands and subsequent developments on them hurt the GCAA’s operations and will compromise airlines’ safety. 

“You will recall that some of your flights experienced an occasional breakdown in communication with ATC and the constant interference and heavy background noise in some of our frequencies since 2 October 2020 till date.

“This may be due to some developmental activities going on around some of our communication facilities. There is a threat to our communication systems, navigational aids and surveillance systems, making it very difficult for us to provide the needed services to our customers,” the statement said. 

The workers said their demand is to halt, among other things, the threat and damage to vital communication, navigation and surveillance equipment and installations, the wanton demarcation and sale of GCAA lands to private individuals and forceful eviction of GCAA staff from their officially allocated bungalows.

Withdraw threat to strike

The workers say they will only rescind their decision to embark on strike action if all activity on the lands stops immediately. They also want all land titles, by executive instrument and lease, to be issued in the name of GCAA.

The workers have called on the flying public to make necessary arrangements in view of the impending withdrawal of services at the airport.

“To you, our cherished flying public, please kindly take note of this and make the necessary arrangements to cater for the impending disruption,” the workers’ statement said.

“We are very sorry for any inconveniences that may arise, but this action is necessary to ensure the safe operation of flights in our airspace. Kindly assist us in whatever form you can so that this issue is resolved once and for all,” they said. 

Fred Dzakpata 

Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.
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