The Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur, has disclosed that the Authority will raise the bar on safety, security and regulatory compliance as it marks 40 years of autonomous operations.

According to him, the milestone is not merely ceremonial but a call to strengthen standards and prepare for a more demanding aviation environment.

Speaking at the launch of the 40th anniversary of the GCAA in Accra, Rev. Arthur made it clear that safety remains the Authority’s overriding priority.

Established on May 16, 1986, under PNDC Law 151, the GCAA is mandated to regulate civil aviation and provide air navigation services in Ghana. Rev. Arthur said the Authority remains committed to executing that mandate professionally.

“The quest of the authority is to regulate civil aviation and provide air navigation services in a professional and environmentally friendly manner. So if you are not enjoying this, then we are not yet there,” he stated.

While describing the Authority’s performance over the last four decades as strong, he acknowledged persistent operational and financial constraints.

“This stellar showing of the authority in the last 40 years is not an indication that we have not faced any challenges,” he noted, citing issues in financing, equipment, technological upgrades and manpower.

He said collaboration with airlines and other industry players has been central to the Authority’s survival and growth.

“Can you imagine an airport without an airline? It will have to be turned into a cassava field, or better still, a very wide swimming pool,” he remarked, emphasising the importance of airlines to the aviation ecosystem.

Rev. Arthur also charged the staff of the Authority to take personal responsibility for its future direction.

“As we celebrate this remarkable milestone, I call on every staff member of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority to see themselves not just as staff or participants in this anniversary but as custodians of its legacy and architects of its future,” he urged.

He added that the next phase of the Authority’s journey will demand “even higher standards, continuous learning, innovation and the adaptability to emerging technologies, new regulatory challenges and evolving aviation trends.”

The anniversary event brought together officials from the Ministry of Transport, aviation industry stakeholders and past leaders of the Authority to reflect on four decades of aviation regulation in Ghana.