*As Herald’s April 15, 2011 Story Is Vindicated*

On April 15, 2011, The Herald warned that “Next time you are onboard an aircraft to Ghana, pray that you land safely because pilots and other aviation experts are raising alarm over potential plane crashes at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Ghana’s only standard airport, as a result of serious disruptions in communication between approaching pilots and the Control Tower”.

This warning was sounded after The Herald intercepted an alarming five-page report which said “serious security breaches,” had occurred at KIA with pilots complaining about poor visibility and communication at the airport.

The document blamed the situation 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 and had even gone very close to where Ghana Armed Forces keeps its bombs.

True to this warning, Ghanaians, especially those in Accra, were shocked to the bone marrow last Saturday night when a Nigerian cargo plane DHV3, belonging to Allied Air Cargo crash-landed and overshot the runway at the Kotoka International Airport, breaking the wall opposite the El-Wak Stadium.

The aircraft collided with a 207 Mercedes Benz minibus and a soldier on a motorbike, instantly killing ten people on the bus and the soldier, and finally stopping beside the walls of the El-Wak Stadium at the spot constructed by Zoomlion Ghana Limited for use as the Hajj Village. Some of the dead were shredded into pieces.

The four-man crew on the aircraft is reported to be safe, but were rushed to the 37 Military Hospital, by the security and emergency agencies including the Military, the police, Fire Services and officials of the National Disaster Management Organization led by its National Coordinator, Kofi Portuphy.

The accident, which took place at 7:10 pm, attracted a large crowd of people. The aircraft is said to have crashed when it failed to land properly and decided to jet back into the air, but struck a communication mast belonging to the Ghana Civil Aviation, broke it wings and thus could not take off again.

Some have attributed the crash to the rainy weather at the time, but there are speculations that the cargo plane may not be airworthy as other planes had landed safely a few minutes before and after the crash.

Nigeria’s aviation record is not enviable. Many crashes have occurred in that country on many occasions leading to many hundreds of deaths recorded due to faulty and poorly maintained equipment.

The crashes have involved both commercial and military aircrafts.

Readers will recall that a few years ago, a plane belonging to Virgin Atlantic crashed in Nigeria, killing passengers on board, a lot of whom were Ghanaians onboard the airline.

There are worries about how seriously the Ghanaian Aviation Authourities check airworthiness certificates of planes especially from Nigeria, landing at KIA.

An airworthiness certificate is a document which grants authorization to operate an aircraft in flight. Vice-President John Dramani Mahama shortly after his return from the Brazil, led the pack of government officials to the accident scene. He assured the international community that the airport was operating as normal.

According to him, the accident would not affect business at all.

Deputy Transport Minister Dzifa Ativor said investigations will be launched immediately into the accident. Also present was the National Security Coordinator, Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Henry Smith, the Deputy Health Minister Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr. Alfred Vanderpuije among others.

Below is The Herald’s story on 15-17 April 2011 on the report by Pilots and aviation experts on the safety of planes landing at the Kotoka International Airport. It is not clear yet whether policymakers did anything significant since that publication, which witnessed a call from the American Embassy to The Herald’s office.

Danger! Danger!!Danger!!! PILOTS WARN OF PLANE CRASHES AT KOTOKA AIRPORT “Next time you are onboard an aircraft to Ghana, pray that you land safely because pilots and other aviation experts are raising alarm over potential plane crashes at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Ghana’s only standard airport, as a result of serious disruptions in communication between approaching pilots and the Control Tower”.

The alarm which was sounded in a five-page report available to The Herald as “serious security breaches,” is 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 Herald is informed that both Castle and the National Security Council are panicked by the revelations and are fervidly studying the report.

The grim 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 saboteur or terrorist 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, 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 of 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.

Civil Aviation 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.

The initial acquisition of the airport lands was in the 1940s which was used as an Aerodrome and a Military Base to support the war effort of the Allied Forces during the Second World War.

The Aerodrome was called the Anti-Amaryl with a military Garrison, now Burma Camp, supporting this Aerodrome/ Airbase. Further acquisitions were later made to expand the airbase into an international airport which became known as the Anti-Amaryl Aerodrome extension and subsequently, the Teshie and Cantonment with the training area between them.

The training area was named the School of Infantry which now consists of Southern Command, MATS, 48 Engineers Regiment, Command and Staff College, Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre, Acapulco/Harbin area, Nextdoor, the Teshie Range up to the Kpeshie Lagoon bridge.

KIA, initially the Anti-Amaryl Aerodrome, extends through Burma Camp to the Trade Fair Centre and across to the School of Infantry all of which are State acquired lands.