The Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA) has concluded a five-day Aviation Security and Facilitation Technical Assistance Mission to the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) and Roberts International Airport (RIA).
Updating the Director-General on the work programme, the SLCAA Director of Aviation Security and Facilitation, Kugbei Tucker, said the Technical Assistance rendered to both the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority and Robert International Airport delegation covers: Technical Guidance Materials, SLCAA Key Performance Indicators, Aviation Security Inspection Checklist, Implementation of Annex 17 and 9 requirements to the Chicago convention and the Roles and Responsibilities of other States Actors in the Security Architecture at the Airports.
“SLCAA has developed Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) on Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP) finding and submitted to ICAO of which we are poised for effective implementation within the specified timeframe in readiness for our next USAP in 2022,” Director Tucker stated during the debriefing.
Giving feedback on the mission, Nuah E. Padmore, Head of the Liberian Delegation, expressed his profound thanks and appreciation to the SLCAA for rendering such important assistance in the area of Aviation Security and Facilitation.
He said the aim of their mission was for the SLCAA to assist LCAA in developing its aviation security oversight system by ensuring that Liberia meets the requirements to achieve a higher compliance rating with Annex 17 Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs), during their scheduled document-based Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP) – Continuous Monitoring Approach (CMA) in August 2021.
“After the different presentations by the SLCAA and SLAA, the Mission was able to identify and understand gaps in the implementation of Annex 9 and Annex 17,” Nuah E. Padmore revealed.
He further recommended that the SLCAA Aviation Security (AVSEC) team visit Liberia for a National Leadership discussion to buy the Sierra Leone model of implementation of Annex 17 requirements. Also, for the SLCAA to assist LCAA in the area of Primary and Secondary AVSEC Legislation and review of their AVSEC manuals.
In his statement, the Director-General of SLCAA, Moses Tiffa Baio, revealed that the Hon Minister of Transport and Aviation would have loved to meet the Liberian delegation but unfortunately, he was out of the country.
“This is a national assignment we are all called to do. We will look at the recommendations you have made. These are not things we are averse to. We will do our bit in engaging higher Authority,” DG Baio assured.
He expressed further that he is happy with the outcome of the Technical Assistance Mission while recalling SLCAA rendered similar assistance on Aviation Security and Facilitation to the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority in December 2020.
“We are pleased to share our experiences with our sister countries within the mano river union and hopeful for a positive impact on our collective effort towards enhancing our level of effective implementation of Annex 17 and 9 of the Chicago Convention,” DG Baio said.
DG Baio, on behalf of the Minister of Transport and Aviation, presented gifts to the delegation and assured them of SLCAA’s continued support in addressing their deficiencies in Annex 9 and 17.
