Technically known as the State Safety Reporting System (SSRS), it was established by the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Preventive Bureau (AIB-Gha­na) in collaboration with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to further enable effective analysis on reported occurrences to meet trends and address emerging hazards.

Acting Commissioner of AIB-Ghana, Akwasi Agyeibi Prem­peh, said, the safety reporting portal would ensure a more expedient mode of communicating and access­ing information.

He was speaking at the maiden Aviation Accident Prevention and Airline Performance Optimisation Conference in Accra yesterday.

The Conference was to showcase the latest technology in the global aviation safety, airlines operational integrity and how it could impact Ghana’s aviation industry.

It was organised by the AIB-Ghana in partnership with global aviation technology de­velopers, Star Navigation Group Limited and Flight Path Interna­tional.

Mr Prempeh said it was time to revolutionise the traditional investigation and prevention tech­niques to a more modern tech­nological approach that alters the practice of aircraft safety from a reactive exercise to proactive one.

Such a move, he noted, would allow aircraft investigation agencies to be more efficient and accurate in finding the contribut­ing and causal factors to aircraft mishap.

Since its establishment, he stated that, the Bureau had inves­tigated four aircraft accidents and other incidents that occurred in the country.

Mr Prempeh noted that embracing emerging aviation technologies was critical in meet­ing best international practices and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard and recommended practices and enforces Ghana’s aviation safety position.

He said when aviation opera­tors use sophisticated technolo­gies, it would enhance safety in aviation and impact positively on the tourism and trade sectors.

The Deputy Director-Gen­eral of GCAA, Daniel Acquah noted that safety was the topmost priority in aviation, hence the need for all operators to remain accustomed to it as a guiding principle in the conduct of their business.

He said currently, the avi­ation sector was projected to grow steadily in a diversified manner due to new technol­ogies, new operations, among others.

The GCAA, he noted, had developed Technical Directive for the operation of drones and associated guidance materi­als to ensure a safe, harmonised and sustainable operations.

In support of safety initia­tives by the ICAO, Ghana, Mr Acquah said, had established the State Safety Programme (SSP) to integrate and harmo­nise aviation safety activities in the country and support the implementation of the Safety Management Systems (SMS) by the industry, including com­mercial drone operators.

He explained that the SSP recognised the importance of aviation stakeholders to work in a collaborative and coordinated manner to identify safety hazards and ensure the adoption of best practices and suitable technologies to address safety risks within their operations.