SLCAA Hosts BAGASOO Technical Committee Regulatory Meeting

The Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA) has hosted the third Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO) Technical Committee-Regulatory meeting at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Freetown.

The BAGASOO Technical Regulatory Committee is responsible for the reviewing and monitoring of comprehensive implementation programmes which entails the review for adoption, adaption or harmonization of regulations or their amendment to enable Member States implement the International Civil Aviation Orgnisation’s Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

This year’s Technical Regulatory Committee meeting is intended to enable Member States define and implement a framework on a common policy towards the harmonization of the regulations of Banjul Accord Group (BAG) States.

The Deputy Director General of Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, Mrs. Fatu-Maria Conteh thanked BAGASOO for giving Sierra Leone another opportunity to host such an important event. She recalled that in the previous meeting held in Abuja this year the committee was able to review the Cooperative Inspectorate Scheme (CIS) including its Legal Framework, adding further that they reviewed the terms of reference for Aerodromes and Ground Aids (AGA) and Air Navigation Services (ANS) under the CIS which are the most important audit areas for Sierra Leone. 

“I wish to reaffirm that Sierra Leone under the New Direction leadership of President Julius Maada Bio is poised to develop air transport by certifying Freetown International Airport (FNA) in 2020 with improved access to connectivity. Also, we have experienced an unprecedented commitment to settle current and outstanding international obligations to which BAGASOO has benefited,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of the BAGASOO Executive Director, Hector Ideawor noted that BAGASOO has had three meetings (2011, 2013 and 2017) since its inception in 2010. While commending the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for sponsoring this event and providing strong partnership with BAGASOO, he also mentioned that one of the impact has been an increasing pace in the generation of new requirements and amendments to existing ones. 

He reiterated BAGASOO’s commitment to provide Member States the needed support within the limits of its mandate, adding that States are invited to take full advantage of the services of BAGASOO as bona fide of the BAG group of States.

“Aviation is a dynamic sector, in that its changing nature has often been characterized by the new and changing technologies, procedures and systems. BAGASOO recently went through the Global Aviation Safety Oversight System (GASOS) assessment conducted by ICAO under the pilot scheme. The organization recorded an impressive score impressive score of 85.5%. We are therefore faced with an ever-growing challenge of being consistent. It involves a continuous revision of generic documents, regulations, guidance materials and procedures in order to be beneficial to users,” he said.

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