Veep To Probe Plane Crash Story

The Vice- President, John Dramani Mahama, is billed to storm the Kotoka International Airport in the course of this week to access the extent of security breach caused by the encroachers on the airports lands which pilots have warned could result in planes crashing at the airport due to serious disruptions in communication between them and the Control Tower.

Details of the Vice-President’s visit are sketchy, but Castle sources are certain he would also be visiting the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Recce Regiment’s Ammunition Dump in which bombs and Military Mowags are kept, which the encroachers have almost taken over and erected illegal structure,s irrespective of the high risk they face.

Meanwhile, The Herald has learnt of a high-powered meeting between the National Security Council officials, the Military High Command, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Ghana Airport Authority, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Lands Commission on the situation to discuss the possible remedies to the encroachment.

The meeting took place in the first week of April this year, and was chaired by one of the Deputy National Security Coordinators, Mr. K. D. Dankwa. The meeting overwhelmingly supported a demolition exercise to be carried out by the National Security Council to help avoid a calamity which the country might not be able to contain.

Commenting on the issue, the Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces, Lt. Col. Atintande, described the security threat posed by encroachers as very grave but laid the responsibility of clearing the squatters, on the doorstep of the National Security Council.

This paper last week Friday reported that a five-page report available to it has drawn attention to “serious security breaches,” at the Kotoka International Airport which are being blamed on private individuals who have massively encroached on state-acquired lands for the airport and illegally built homes, hotels, workshops, vehicle garages and warehouses, almost on the flight path or runway.

Apart from the airport, the report shockingly disclosed that the encroachers have also taken over the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Recce Regiment’s Ammunition Dump in which bombs and Military Mowags are kept. The report is said to have sent both Castle and the National Security Council panicking.

The report prepared by a team of military officers, National Security operatives and officials of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority said the illegal structures are seriously threatening the security of the airport and the safety of the ammunition dump, because aircraft on the runway are easy target for potential saboteurs or terrorists from the structures.

A joint inspection tour led by the Director General of the Ghana Civil Aviation, Air Commodore K. Mamphey, has confirmed that the flight path from the Main Aircraft Navigation Instrument (VOR) which goes beyond the Motorway and leads to the approach lights (panel lights) to direct approaching aircraft to the centre line of the runway, are in danger.

According to Mr. Mamphey, as a result of the encroachments, pilots using the KIA have persistently complained about serious disruptions in communication with the Control Tower, and which has been confirmed to be true. For this reason, the Civil Aviation is currently spending over US$2 million to raise the height of the VOR and add on extra instruments to temporarily improve aircraft communication.

A follow-up inspection tour by representatives of Ghana Airport Authority on the extent of the encroachments on the state lands, particularly in the flight path, has confirmed the situation to be accurate.

The security breach came about as a result of Lands Commission grants to Car Dealers, Bulldozer hirers and artisans who were moved from the Achimota Forest area due to the Tetteh Quashie-Achimota-Mallam Road construction, for which they were paid compensation.

Apart from the Lands Commission, the Martey Tsuru Stool also illegally leased State Lands to individuals to build structures, some of which are at different stages of construction.

All such structures should be demolished, while movements near the runway, the VOR and the line panel lights are controlled, as it has emerged that the squatters are persistently stealing and tampering with the copper metal conductors of the VOR (Lightening arresters) at the Civil Aviation Aircraft Navigation station, the experts say.

The security breaches identified by the team, if not stopped, could cause aircraft accidents and allow potential saboteur(s) easy access to the runway, aviation experts point out. Additionally, human activities near the GAF /Recce Regiment Magazine/ Ammunition Dump can also lead to breaches which could cause fatalities in the event of the bombs/rounds exploding.

The team has recommended that all the encroachments with regard to the structures in and along the flight path, the VOR buffer zone and the GAF/Recce Regiment Magazine area, should be marked and demolished while the squatters are all removed with immediate effect.

“Lands Commission should be prevailed upon to cancel all the allocations and grants they have made, especially to the Oak Plaza Hotel for Car Park and the Car Ports for the sale of used cars as well as the warehouses along the Spintex Road towards the motorway”, the report said.

The team directed that the Lands Commission should be made to cause the revocation of all the Martey Tsuru leases to individuals as the area is so close to the runway.

The Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Airport Authority have been asked to collaborate to sensitize the public through documentaries and in the mass media on how the encroachment could cause disruption of aircraft communication with the tower at KIA and lead to accidents causing serious fatalities.

These could also cause hazards to humans in the flight path and air corridor due to heavy vibrations from aircraft engines and emission of injurious fumes from burnt fuel, the report pointed out.

It suggested that the sensitization should precede any intended demolitions in the event of the exercise being approved.