FARMINGTON, Margibi – The Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) and the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organization (BAGASOO) have launched a five-day Resolution of Safety Concerns (RSC) training course at the Farmington Hotel in Harbel, Margibi County.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
This initiative, according to LCAA and BAGASOO, is the result of the visit of the Director-General of the LCAA Mr. Julius D. Dennis, Jr. to Abuja Nigeria for the Board of Directors meeting of BAGASOO.
Addressing participants and facilitators at the opening program on Monday, the Director General Dennis stated the primary objective of the training program is to enhance the capabilities and efficiency of Member States in the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) by providing the technical and legal personnel with knowledge, skills, and attitudes to carry out their duties and responsibilities associated with investigation and enforcement of aviation regulations.
This, he said, will enable them to tackle non-compliance by regulated organizations and personnel across the entire field of responsibility of a Civil Aviation Authority, according to the Resolution of Safety Concern Manual. It can be recalled that the recent International Civil Aviation Organization/Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program – Continuous Monitoring Audit (1CAO/USOAP-CMA) of the Liberian aviation sector highlighted two Significant Safety Concerns (SSC) amongst others that must be urgently addressed. This training, he said, is in line with the LCAA corrective action plan to mitigate and alleviate these discrepancies.
“We hope that you all will take full advantage of this opportunity, which is aimed at enhancing your skills, knowledge and understanding in the performance of your job duties,” Mr. Dennis said.
“Identifying discrepancies and non-Compliance issues as well as taking the necessary corrective actions is critical to ensuring safety and security. A culture of constant monitoring is also a key ingredient for a successful safety program,” he added.
The training program is sponsored by the EU-ASA Project, which aims to enhance aviation safety in the sub-Saharan Africa region. The participants selected for the course are from Liberia and Sierra Leone and are ready to take on the challenge and gain valuable insights from the training, according to organizers.
Mrs. Jailza Soraga Rodrigues, the Executive Director of BAGASOO, speaking at the program said the training signifies BAGASOO’s spirit of regional cooperation. She noted that it is intended to assist member states to improve their safety oversight obligation and consequently to meet secure and efficient air space.
BAGASOO comprises seven West African states including Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Cape Verde and Sierra Leone. On 29 January 2004, these countries met in Banjul, Gambia to sign the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) Agreement. This agreement requires BAG member States to harmonize their policies and procedures on civil aviation and foster the development of international civil aviation through cooperative arrangements between the States.