𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐎 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐎𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞

𝐁𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐡.

The International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) yesterday commenced a safety and security audit on Sierra Leone’s aviation legislation, resources, and other capacities which the country has established to effectively implement ICAO’s standards and recommended practices. Audit dates: May 31 – June 12, 2023.
Currently, Sierra Leone is part of the European Union (EU) blacklist as no plane registered with the country will enter any EU member country or the United States of America, according to the Director General of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), Dr Moses Tiffa Baio. But passing the aviation audit will be expected to open up the country for more aviation and economic activities.
Speaking at a meeting with the ICAO team at the Ministry of Transport and Aviation conference room in Freetown on Wednesday, Dr Baio said from May 8 to 12, 2006, ICAO conducted the mandatory Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) and discovered that Sierra Leone was completely deficient in all the eight critical elements that were audited as the country’s overall score was only 16 percent.
Further to the USOAP audit in 2006, an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) was subsequently conducted from January 29 to February 5, 2014, to test the progress the country had made in the aviation sector; however, that also resulted only in 18.36 percent.
Meanwhile, the Abuja Safety target was set at an average of 60 percent by the Ministers responsible for Transport and Aviation, while the Global Aviation Safety Plan set its average at 75 percent.
Dr Baio said with the level of preparations, the country anticipates scoring above the Global Aviation Safety Plan’s 75 percent average.
Before the commencement of the ongoing safety audit exercise, ICAO had provided Sierra Leone with technical assistance under the safe fund project to address safety deficiencies and to further strengthen oversight capabilities in the areas of air navigation services, aerodromes, and ground aids for the country’s Civil Aviation Authority.
Since its establishment in April 2006, the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority Act was amended/reviewed in 2017, 2019, and 2023 to ensure that the primary aviation legislation complies with all ICAO Annexes, Dr Baio told the ICAO Auditors.
“We assure you of our greatest commitment and support during and after the audit. The SLCAA being the national competent authority for coordinating ICAO and other civil aviation matters will ensure that audit is conducted seamlessly,” he said.
For his part, the Leader of the ICAO auditing team, Louis Opoku announced that the approach for the USOAP audits is based on: “the implementation of a structured process and methodology for the planning, preparation, conduct, reporting, follow-up, and evaluation of ICAO safety oversight audits, in order to determine States’ capability for safety oversight.”
Mr Opoku also said the exercise will include the audit of SLCAA and investigation authority; visit to industry and service providers; preparation of draft audit findings and draft audit report while the post-audit will see ICAO forwarding the draft audit report to the state.
Meanwhile, the state will submit comments on the draft report, and the comments will be incorporated into the final audit report, and the final audit report will be published on the USOAP CMA online framework.
“A significant safety concern occurs when the audited State allows the holder of an authorization or approval to exercise the privileges attached to it, although the minimum requirements established by the State and by the Standards set forth in the Annexes to the Chicago Convention are not met, resulting in an immediate safety risk to international civil aviation,” Mr Opoku said the opening meeting.
The Director of Transport at the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Hindolo Shiaka on behalf of the Ministry, hoped that the country will meet the minimum average this time following adequate preparations.
He said they were determined to work with all the stakeholders to ensure a successful outcome of the audit and expressed hope of no safety concerns.