Najomo, DGCA
A significant milestone in regional aviation safety cooperation was achieved yesterday in Accra, Ghana, as Nigeria and Ghana signed a Search and Rescue (SAR) Cooperation Agreement.
The pact, signed by a high-level Nigerian delegation led by the Director-General and CEO of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo, marks a major step towards enhancing aviation emergency preparedness and response capability within the West African sub-region.
The agreement is in line with the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), particularly Annex 12 to the Chicago Convention, which requires Contracting States to establish and maintain effective Search and Rescue (SAR) services and to cooperate with neighbouring States to enforce prompt and coordinated responses to aviation emergencies.
The Nigerian delegation, which included senior officials from NCAA and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), expressed its sincere appreciation to the Management of NCAA and NAMA for their unwavering support and commitment to advancing aviation safety initiatives.
The delegation also thanked the Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Rev. Stephen W. Arthur, and his team for their warm reception and collaborative spirit.
The agreement aims to strengthen bilateral aviation safety collaboration, enhance operational coordination between search and rescue units, and promote regional aviation safety initiatives in accordance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
The effective implementation of the agreement is expected to significantly enhance search and rescue coordination, operational efficiency, and aviation safety for both countries and the wider West African sub-region.
