KEY POINTS
- Ghana commissions new Air Navigation Services building in Accra.
- Project aims to boost aviation safety and interagency collaboration.
- API and PNR systems enhance border security and real-time intelligence.
Ghana’s aviation sector took a significant leap on Monday as President John Dramani Mahama commissioned the country’s new Air Navigation Services (ANS) Building at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
The facility also houses a high-tech command center and marks the official rollout of the Advanced Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems—positioning Ghana among a select group of African nations upgrading airspace and passenger data intelligence to international standards.
ANS building strengthens aviation safety systems
Designed as the central operational hub for air traffic and flight information management, the new ANS facility hosts a range of aviation services. These include Air Traffic Services (ATS), Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS), Meteorological Services (MET), and Aeronautical Information Management (AIM).
At the core of the building is the Multi-Agency Command Centre (MACC), a nerve centre connecting key national stakeholders such as the Ghana Armed Forces, Police Service, Immigration, Fire Service, Customs, and international partners like INTERPOL. The collaboration aims to deliver seamless information sharing, quicker responses to in-flight or border incidents, and improved flight safety oversight in real time.
“This facility is not just another building. It’s the infrastructure behind the infrastructure—essential to the invisible web that keeps aircraft safe and airspace secure,” Mahama said during the launch.
Ghana’s API and PNR systems go live
Also housed in the new structure is Ghana’s newly launched API/PNR system—a dual platform for collecting, sharing, and analyzing passenger data before flights land or take off.
The system complies with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2178 and ICAO Annex 9 requirements. Its implementation enhances Ghana’s border control framework by detecting potential threats early, improving immigration processes, and strengthening national security.
Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe hailed the project as proof of the government’s commitment to aviation safety, while civil aviation officials emphasized the importance of digital transformation in managing future growth.
According to Ghana News Agency, Ghana aims to become West Africa’s premier aviation hub, and according to Mahama, such progress depends as much on advanced navigation and data systems as it does on terminals and runways.
