The Ministry of Aviation and delegation from Ministry of Tourism and International Transport of Barbados on Friday held a meeting to consider ways Ghana and Barbados could collaborate to deepen bilateral relationship in the aviation and tourism industry.
The meeting which was hosted by the Aviation Minister, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda who was supported by his deputy and the ministry’s technical hands also had Kerrie Symmonds, the Barbadian Minister with his team explored ways to maximise the aviation sector which Ghana has a lot of experience to share with their Barbarian counterparts.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr Adda said the ministry had invested in both equipment and human resource to become one of the best on the African continent, adding that Ghana was ready to share her experience with Barbados.
He said in order to improve safety and security measures in the aviation industry, the ministry invested in the state-of-the-art equipment for the Air Traffic Control Unit as well as the meteorological sector to improve air transport safety and security not only in Ghana but in West Africa.
Mr Adda said because of the measures put in place for both arrivals and departures, Ghana had become a choice of destination in West Africa with more international airlines either increasing their flights or asking for permit to route their flights through Ghana.
He said last year, the aviation industry recorded an increase in flight operations from three million people who used Ghana’s international airport, against 1.7million the previous year.
Mr Adda said, Ghana was prepared to partner the Barbarian government to work out modalities which could inure to the benefit of both countries, especially in the aviation industry since the leadership from both countries crave for a bilateral relationship which could position them for better economic genesis.
Mr Symmonds said the Barbarian government had a lot of respect for the Ghanaian aviation industry which has a worldwide reputation of being one of the best across the globe, thus the visit to explore any means by which it could gain from Ghana’s experience.
He said the aviation industry in Barbados was at its teething stage as a department in the Transport Ministry; therefore, there was the need to put certain regulatory measures in place to push for the department to become an authority to help boost its tourism industry.
Mr Symmonds said as a result of the premium placed on the bilateral cooperation, the team from Barbados brought along a drafted confidential memorandum of understanding for their Ghanaian counterparts to study and make an input so that there could be a flight between Ghana and Barbados as soon as practicable.
He said from their experience, Barbados had a lot to share with their counterparts, especially, in the tourism sector which was one of the bread basket for the country after a highly successful “Year of Return Project” adding that the delegation would explore ways the tourism industries in both countries could do to improve service delivery.
BY LAWRENCE MARKWEI
