Key Points
- Ghana scored 89 percent in ICAO safety audit, rated best in Africa.
- AIB Ghana reassures public after Obuasi helicopter crash.
- Crash killed eight people, including two cabinet ministers.
Ghana’s acting Commissioner of the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB), John Mmeb Kunyan Wumborti, has assured the public that the country’s skies remain the safest in Africa, despite the recent military helicopter crash that killed eight people in the Ashanti Region.
ICAO backs Ghana’s safety record
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recently ranked Ghana first in Africa with an 89 percent score following a safety audit of its aviation sector. Wumborti said the government and its agencies, including the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and AIB Ghana, continue to implement international aviation protocols to maintain high standards.
Public fears after Obuasi crash
His comments followed public anxiety after the Z-9 military helicopter crash on August 6 at Adansi Brofeyedu, which claimed eight lives, including two cabinet ministers, Defence Minister and the Environment, Science and Technology Minister.
“Someone walked up to me recently and said he was afraid to fly because of the crash,” Wumborti said at a press briefing in Accra. “But I assured him that flying offers a 99.99 percent chance of arriving safely. Citizens should not fear that aircraft will fall from the sky.”
Board of enquiry underway
Acting Defence Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson confirmed last week that a board of enquiry, chaired by the National Security Coordinator and including AIB Ghana representatives, has started work. The team has 30 days to investigate the crash and submit findings.
Independent and professional oversight
Wumborti stressed that AIB Ghana operates in strict alignment with ICAO’s Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). Although the bureau only investigates military crashes with ministerial approval, it was included on the enquiry board to ensure technical rigour.
“Our process includes collecting factual information, verifying and analysing it, establishing findings, determining contributory factors and formulating conclusions,” he said.
He emphasised that the bureau’s independence from the GCAA strengthens its credibility and underpins Ghana’s high international safety ranking.
