Aviation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah
In a survey organized by Centre for Transport Security Dialogue (CETSED), 75% of respondents voted overwhelmingly to endorse Cecilia Dapaah, the Aviation minister as the ‘Best Minister’ for the month of January 2018.
This comes as no surprise after Ghanaians, both home and abroad heaped praises on the former Bantama Legislator and first woman to head the newly-created Aviation ministry. Majority of the respondents cited her honest and blunt comments over the substandard services of British Airways leading to a review of the airline’s operations.
Centre for Transport Security Dialogue (CETSED) is a Non-Governmental Organization, working with stakeholders in the transport sub sectors through advocacy for safer, secured and transparent transport systems.
The center focuses on research, capacity building and dialogue to advocate for policies that enhance the development of the transport sector.
CETSED is of the view that after a year in office, the public can be engaged to help in measuring the performance of ministers based on not just utterances but real actions.
A total of five hundred (500) questionnaires were distributed to 500 respondents from different fields of endeavor. In all, a whopping 375 representing 75% voted to adjudge the Cecilia Dapaah as the Best Minister.
January 18, 2018 will forever remain in the minds and hearts of Ghanaians after the Minister blasted the supposed ‘almighty’ British airways with decades of experience in the airline business.
The Minister of Aviation is on record to have issued a strong warning over the unacceptable and poor standards by British airways in recent times. She hinted that government will take drastic action against the airline if it continues to provide substandard treatment to passengers flying its routes to Ghana.
The caution follows an incident that occurred on a bedbug-infested British Airways plane, bound for the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) from Heathrow.
The crew of the aircraft after seeing the bedbugs few minutes before takeoff protested, and subsequently staged a walk off, leading to delays in the flight.
It will be recalled that, during the swearing in of the Board of Directors of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, the hardworking Minister reminded members of the President's vision to re-brand Kotoka International airport as the hub of the aviation industry in West Africa in order to position Ghana as the preferred choice.
This vision encouraged the Akufo-Addo-led administration through the Finance minister to remove the 17.5% VAT on domestic airfares to help boost competition and growth in the sector.
CETSED is by this piece congratulating the Aviation Minister for the excellent leadership role exhibited and the measurable results shown.
The motive behind the monthly ministerial survey is to motivate and inspire hardworking officials, instead of rampant criticism, condemnation and lambasting.
Respondents are optimistic that should the Minister continue like this, achieving our dream status in the aviation sector will be a reality.
Some of the respondents also advised the Ministry to work towards completing the projects and policies inherited while initiating more viable ones to justify that government is indeed a continuous process.
In conclusion, majority of the respondents interviewed believe that, the current minister has what it takes to make the sector more attractive to investors.
