23-05-2025
Nigeria takes leadership of African sub regional aviation safety organisation
Nigeria has emerged the Chairman, Banjul Accord Group (BAG), a West African sub-regional organization with 7 member states poised toward enhanced air safety and regulations for safer skies.
Speaking at the 4th Council of Ministers at the ongoing 18 BAG meeting on Thursday in Abuja, the immediate past Chairman of the Banjul Accord Group, who is also the Minister of Transport and Aviation for Sierra Leone, Amb. Alhaji Fanday Turay commended the role Nigeria has played in improving air safety among BAG states and the sub-region in general.
He explained that 'as I reflect on the activities of BAG, Banjul Accord Group Safety Oversight Organisation.(BAGASOO) and Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), I take immense pride in the significant and positive contributions these institutions have made towards enhancing aviation safety and security in our region.
'The resilience, innovation and unity that characterized our collective efforts have been truly commendable. On behalf of His Excellency, the President and the government of Sierra Leone, I wish to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the implementation of BAG agreement and the sustainable realization of a Single Africa Àir Transport Market (SAATM) within our region.'
'This commitment was clearly demonstrated during the SAATM pilot implementation project hosted in Freetown on the 29th to 30th of July, 2024. The event culminated in the issuance of a communique calling for accelerated action in implementing the Yamoussoukro decision, particularly through the group's multilateral Air Service Agreement.
'Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Sierra Leone's aviation safety and security readiness stand at 71 and 72% respectively, following a Carlos Universal Security Audit and Universal Safety Oversight Audit programme in 2023.
'These achievements are the result of the dedication and diligence of my ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority and the valuable support of stakeholders across the BAG member states'.
Turay further stated that 'flying from Sierra Leone to Nigeria, or to Liberia, for example, is a 45-minute flight; flying to the Gambia is about two hours. But sometimes, or most of the times, you may end up spending the day before getting to these destinations.
'So we need to come in and support each other, and we should also try to have policies in place which would encourage businesses or airlines to fly into our countries,' he said.
The minister noted further that 'we, as a founding member, remain deeply committed to the values and objectives of the group. We continue to play a leading role by currently serving as Chairman of the Standing Committee, Chairman of the BAGASOO Technical Committee on Finance and Administration, and Chairman of the high-level committee on the institutionalization of BAG Secretariat, further demonstrating our commitment to the success of the Organization.
'I am therefore honored to hand over the Chairmanship of the Council of Ministers to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and to my brother, Honorable Minister Festus Keyamo.
'This transition comes at a pivotal time as we work towards finalizing the institutionalization of the BAG Secretariat and domestication of air services across our region,' Turay stated
While responding, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo expressed Nigeria's commitment to ensuring the instrumentality of enhanced air transport connectivity among BAG member states.
He said Nigeria, as a member of the BAG from its inception, has continued to make valuable contributions to the secretariat work and its activities including supporting the ideals and aspirations of BAG and achievement of its strategic objectives, in collaboration with other member states.
'The Nigeria civil aviation policy is centered on liberalization and Public-Private-Partnerships Initiative. These have resulted in huge investments in the nation's airports infrastructure and services, increased capacity utilization and phenomenal increase in the number of domestic operators as well as the domestic and international traffic.'
Keyamo noted that 'Nigeria is fully committed to working with Member States and support the implementation of the objectives of the Banjul Accord Group formed in 1997 for the acceleration and implementation of the Yamoussoukro Declaration and to promote co-operation through the States in the areas of safety, security oversight, air navigation and air transport etc.
*In view of the current achievement by BAG through its Multilateral instruments, the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO) and the Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA) in the areas of aviation safety, security and economic development as I mentioned during the opening ceremony, BAG states should be prepared to take more concerted efforts for more investments in the provision of infrastructure and facilities for safe, secure, environmentally friendly and sustainable civil aviation.
'I wish to reiterate that Nigeria will continue to sustain the support being given to the sub-region to attract investment, tourism and continued growth,' he stated.
Also speaking before handover, Cape Verde Minister for Tourism and Transport, Jose Luis SA Nogueirs said his country was in full support of Single African Air Transport market (SAATM).
He said, 'we support the need for SAATM as a means to ensure that we can develop the connectivity for African market,' he noted.
Five Ministers under the Banjul Accord Group member states attended the meeting, and a former Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, Mallam Isah Yuguda, was also in attendance.
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