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BY ANTHONY OMOH
The 12th Commission Meeting of the Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA) opened in Abuja with strong calls for enhanced regional aviation safety cooperation.
One of the key outcomes of the meeting is the establishment of a Board of Directors composed of heads of Accident Investigation Bureaus from member states. This Board will provide policy direction to BAGAIA and streamline decision-making, supervise and review activities of the BAGAIA Commissioner, who will in turn report to the board. A Chairman will be elected from among the members, while the BAGAIA Commissioner will serve as Board Secretary. The official document to establish this Board was signed in English by five member states on May 22, 2025. It has taken full effect and translations in French and Portuguese will be completed and endorsed by the Council of Ministers of Member States during the 42nd Session of ICAO in Montreal, September 2025.
Commissioner of BAGAIA, Engr. Charles Irikefe Erhueh, said the agency has been creating synergy to unify West Africa through deeper collaboration. He noted BAGAIA’s strategic partnerships with other regional bodies, including CASSOA in 2023 and SASO in 2024. These alignments have expanded cooperation beyond West Africa, extending to Eastern and Southern Africa.
However, Erhueh identified funding as BAGAIA’s major challenge. He revealed that inconsistent financial support from member states has slowed progress. Nonetheless, he commended the determination shown by states to continue collaborating, learning, and growing despite constraints.
The opening session also featured key remarks by top officials including Mr. Fansu Bojang, Head of the Banjul Accord Group Secretariat and Director General of the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority.
“Let us recalibrate our focus and put the agency’s interests at the forefront,” Bojang said. “This meeting must enhance both individual and collective contributions. We expect nothing less.”
He reaffirmed the BAG Secretariat’s commitment to sustained collaboration with BAGAIA to ensure the agency fulfills its safety mandate effectively.
Representing the host country, Captain Alex Badeh Jr, Director General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), welcomed delegates and highlighted the importance of collective effort.
“Cooperation among member states is not just a goal but the foundation of our success,” Badeh stated. “Aviation incidents transcend borders and demand seamless collaboration.”
He cited Nigeria’s assistance to Liberia’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and efforts to support Ghana in developing a flight data analysis lab. These actions, he said, illustrate BAGAIA’s success in capacity building and shared technical growth.
“We are celebrating collective wins today,” he added. “They showcase our dedication to building safer skies through knowledge sharing and mutual support.”
Badeh emphasized that regional aviation safety cooperation must evolve to address new threats, including bird strikes, operational risks, and emerging technologies. He urged member states to approach the meeting with openness and professionalism.
Also addressing delegates was Mr. Yves Koning, EASA Regional Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, representing the EU-ASA/BAGAIA technical partnership. He praised the meeting’s theme, “Celebrating Our Collective Wins in Capacity Building in Aviation Safety in the BAG Region and Beyond,” as timely and inspiring.
“Our work is not just technical, but deeply collaborative and transformative,” he said. “We’ve made great strides in harmonizing standards and strengthening investigation capacity.”
Koning noted that the EU-funded project supporting BAGAIA concludes July 31 but assured that cooperation will not end there.
“This is a key moment to reflect on achievements, confront persistent challenges, and guide the future of regional aviation safety cooperation,” he said.
He promised to present the project’s impact and future direction in the agenda’s technical sessions.
The Abuja meeting is set to run 28th and 29th, with representatives from Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, Cape Verde, and Sierra Leone. Discussions will cover performance reviews, future funding strategies, and enhanced investigative coordination.
Going forward, stakeholders are expected to draw up new resolutions to improve infrastructure, develop regional labs, and enhance investigator training.
This 12th Commission Meeting signals a renewed collective commitment to ensure safer skies across West Africa.
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