Goldstar Airlines seek police clearance for protest march

The Management of Goldstar Airlines has initiated moves to enable the Airline gain police clearance for its intended protest march against the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority for the latter’s refusal to issue the Airline with a charter license it applied for nearly 19 months ago.

The protest, Maritime and Transport Digest can confirm, has been scheduled to coincide with the first flight of South African Airways, which has been given the West Coast Route, the same route that Goldstar Airlines applied for.

This reporter can also confirm the anxiety and desire of other local airlines to join the protest through several meetings held to outline the route for the march among other formalities.

A high level meeting involving Chief Executive Officers of some local Airlines and Travel and Tour Companies took place last Monday and by the sheer numbers and determination shown by those in attendance indicate the collective desire to go for the kill and to say enough is enough to the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.

One issue that emerged from the said meeting was the unanimity with which all those present voiced their dislike for the way some Managers at the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority were handling local and domestic airlines leading to the collapse and folding-up of some of them.

A letter dated July 17, 2015 and signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Goldstar Airlines Mr. Eric Bannerman and addressed to the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander and intercepted by the Maritime and Transport Digest and seeking clearance from the police to embark on the protest march, stated in part that the march has been scheduled to take place on the 3rd of August from 9am through to 12 noon.

The letter said the route of the protest march which has been said will be peaceful will start from Mantse Agbona in James Town through Opera Square to the Tema station and then to the Ministry of Transport where a petition will be presented to the transport Minister Mrs. Dzifa Attivor, the Speaker of Parliament and the Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.

The letter added that staff of the Airline together with some local airlines as well as some sympathisers will be taking part in the protest march.

In an interview with Mr. Eric Bannerman on the matter, he said all was set for the protest and that the only thing remaining was the clearance from the police which they were still waiting for.

He was upbeat about the fact that the protest march will be one of the most peaceful ones to ever be staged in the country, adding that all they seek to achieve was justice from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and for local airlines to be protected and treated fairly.