The 39th anniversary of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) was last Friday commemorated with the call on staff to embrace the power of unity and teamwork towards achieving the collective goals of the authority.

The Acting Director-General of the GCAA, Reverend Stephen W Arthur, who made the call indicat­ed that those before them toiled to bring the organisation to its current status it therefore behove them to make it even better.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much, “Unity is strength when there is teamwork and collabora­tion, wonderful things can be achieved as such let us continue to foster a culture of together­ness, where every member of our organisation feels valued and em­powered to contribute their best,” he added..

The event which was on the theme; “39 Years of Ensuring Avi­ation Safety and Security in Ghana “was also used to launch the 40th anniversary as well as the commit­tee to plan it.

Staff who had served for between 10 to 30 years and some retirees were presented with cer­tificates and plaques with citations of honouring them for dedication to duty.

He said the GCAA had over the 39-years “diligently fulfilled” its responsibilities, earning commendations both locally and internationally which exhibited the unwavering commitment to safety and excellence that had propelled Ghana’s aviation sector to remark­able heights.

“It is no secret that aviation operations in Ghana have flour­ished over the years, becoming a vital catalyst for economic trans­formation, establishing robust structures and maintaining an unwavering commitment to safety and would continue to regulate the industry effectively, ensuring that the respect gained globally remains intact,” he added.

Rev. Arthur said the authority’s continued compliance with ICAO standards and industry best prac­tices had yielded significant results and assured that the ultra-modern watch tower equipped with cutting edge technology would be unveiled next year.

The Acting Director-General quoting his personal theme, “No Staff Left Behind,” said it encapsu­lated their dedication to inclusivity, unity, and collective progress to ensure that every member of the GCAA family was valued, support­ed, and empowered to contrib­ute meaningfully to our shared mission.

Reverend Arthur noted that while celebrating their achieve­ments, they must also address staff indiscipline, which if left unchecked, can erode the very foundation of the organisations.

He said disciplinary actions would be applied consistently and fairly, fostering a sense of justice and accountability within the organisation while opportunities for professional growth would be provided to enhance staff skills and align their personal goals with the organisation’s objectives.

The Acting Director General assured of promoting a positive and inclusive work environment, to boost morale and encourage collaboration among staff mem­bers, implement a robust employee recognition program to reward outstanding performance, motivat­ing staff to excel in their roles.

He said management would en­courage open and honest commu­nication to help identify issues early and foster a culture of transparen­cy and trust.

The acting Commissioner Aircraft Accident and Incident In­vestigation and Preventive Bureau (AIB), Mr John Mmeb Kunyan Wumborti, urged the authority to remain committed and partner the AIB to drive towards innovation, transparency and accountability.

There was also a solidarity messages from the Ghana Airport Company Limited.

 Fan Milk Ghana, a Danone company that operates in the diary and beverage industry, has been urged to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand its op­erations on the African continent to create jobs and meet continental demand.

The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, and Agribusiness, Mr Sampson Ahi, who said this at the launch of Fan Milk PLC’s 65th anniversary celebration on Friday under the theme, “65 Years of Spreading Joy”, indicated that trade among African countries remained very low.

“We are not trading among our­selves, even as African countries, and we still have huge markets that we need to explore. So, I was just trying to challenge them [Fan Milk Ghana] that even though they have performed very well in Ghana, they should try and expand to our sister countries,” Mr Ahi said.

According to him, Fan Milk Ghana’s investment in waste water treatment, biomass, boilers, and solar energy systems was setting a new benchmark in sustainable manufacturing.

Such a benchmark, Mr Ahi said, was not only admirable but aligned with the country’s commitment to green industrialisation and climate resilience.

Mr Ahi stated that the regional presence of Fan Milk Ghana and its operational strength put the company in a prime position to benefit from AfCFTA.

He, therefore, commended the company for its innovativeness, profound impact, inclusivity, and job creation that had driven the economic growth of the coun­try while pledging government’s support to companies like Fan Milk PLC through its 24-hour economy policy.

The Managing Director of Fan Milk Ghana and Francos, Mr Lionel Parent, described the company’s journey in the past three decades as both fantastic and challenging as it had gone through ups and downs moments, especially during the Covid-19 period.

Mr Parent said that the com­pany intended to build Ghana as a powerful export hub to drive employment and create 20,000 street vendors daily to help support the economy of the country, local income, and empower individuals to grow and invest.

“Fan Milk Ghana is still owned at 40 per cent by Ghanaians. Today, we announced that we are paying GH¢9.3 million dividend, and that is GH¢ 9.3 million going straight into the pockets of people living here as they can use it for their pensions, school fees for their children and medical bills,” Mr Parent said.

According to him, although the company was present in some African countries, it was looking forward to expanding to other African countries it did not exist.

Mr Parent said that Fan Milk Ghana was committed to sustain­ability as it had programmes that were aimed at transitioning the entire ecosystem to a solar system.

He said that Fan Milk Ghana had a good relation with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), adding that, “We have increased the tax we pay. We also paid GH¢250 million last year.”

The General Manager, Danone Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Hen­drik Born, said the anniversary launch was a recommitment to the mission of Fan Milk Ghana of bringing health through food to as many people as possible.

 BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY

 President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated a 37-member Nation­al Development Planning Commis­sion (NDPC) with a task to deliver a “bold and transformative path” for the country’s development.

He wants the Commission to develop a long-term development plan that would transcend political regimes to Ghana’s prog­ress for generations.

The Commission amongst others is mandated to co-ordinate the decentralised development planning systems both at the district, regional and national levels.

Swearing in the Commission in Accra yesterday, President Mahama charged the Commission to develop the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Devel­opment Policies in line with the NDPC Act, 1994, (Act 479).

The programme, which he is enjoined to present to Parliament within two years, would form the basis for the medium-term national development policy framework.

He underscored the need for the Com­mission to broadly consult with the citizenry to draw a development plan that addresses the needs of the people.

President Mahama observed that nearly seven decades after independence, Gha­na’s economy continue to rely heavily on a narrow range of primary commodities, with limited diversification and value addition.

He noted the existence of multiple long-term development plans including the Gha­na Beyond Aid Charter, the Ghana@100 Long-term Development Framework, and the Vision 2057 Perspective Framework.

President Mahama urged that, in close collaboration with Parliament, the frame­works are consolidated into a single working document for easy implementation.

Chairman of the Commission, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, said the Commission would support the President to deepen decentrali­sation in the country.

Dr Thompson commended President Mahama for government’s decision to decentralise the management of waste by tasking the assemblies with the responsibility to manage their own sanitation.

“We need more of such decentralisation. The practice of procuring goods and ser­vices for district assemblies from Accra does not only undermine their ability to manage their own affairs, but it also represents the extraction and repatriation of wealth from those districts to Accra. It aggravates inequality and undermines the Constitution­al objective of equitable development,” Dr Thompson stated.

Other members of the Committee are the ministers for finance, gender, children and social protection, tourism, culture and creative arts, local government, chieftaincy and religious affairs, trade, agribusiness and industry, labour, jobs and employment, representation from all 16 regions, organised labour, academia, amongst others identifi­able groups.

The Commission is expected to work through eight sub-committees in the areas of the economy, transport and logistics, energy and private sector development, agriculture and natural resources, employ­ment, productivity, and earnings, public sector reforms and governance, social de­velopment, and infrastructure and land use management.