Accra, 9th June 99 --

A two-day Air Traffic Service Y2K Contingency Planning Meeting to harmonise plans of member states of the Accra and adjacent Flight Information Regions (FIR) opened in Accra on Tuesday.

The meeting organised by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is being attended by delegates from Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria and Cote d' Ivoire.

It is a follow up to previous meetings organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, regional office in Dakar last May, which sought to sensitise and assess progress made by member states in providing solutions to the year 2000 computer problem

Opening the conference, the Director General of GCAA, Wing Commander Andy Mensah, said the object of the meeting is to ensure business continuity and safety of flights during and after the critical Y2K transition period of December 31,1999 to January one, 2000.

He said the Y2K problem poses a critical challenge to the industry in general and Africa in particular, because of the lack of information on plans to combat the problem.

The Director General said most airlines, after close assessment of the problem, have reviewed their decision not to operate during the transition period.

"These airlines seem to have gained confidence in actions instituted by other partners to solve the Y2K problems", he said.

Wing Commander Mensah urged the participants to be frank and open in their deliberations in order to find mutual approach to redress any inefficiency and impediment.

"Our colonial fragmentation as Francophone and Anglophone should not be allowed to impeach our endeavours to find mutual solutions to our common problems".

"This will ensure safety both on the ground and in air for the travelling public", he said.

GRi?/