In preparation for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) scheduled in May 2023, the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO) conducts a two-week Technical Assistance mission to the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA).

BAGASOO is a regional aviation safety oversight organisation driven by the mission to promote the highest safety standards among the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) Member States, which comprises Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone with the specific mandate to improve the human capacity of the Member States through training, harmonisation of operating procedures and consolidation of strategic partnerships to achieve world-class safety standards within the sub-region.

The objective of the mission is to assist Sierra Leone in enhancing its level of Effective Implementation (EI), which currently stands at 16% by providing support in the finalization of regulations, development of guidance materials and inspector procedure manuals, completion of compliance checklist, and preparation of answers to the Protocol Questions.

Welcoming the delegation, the Chairman Board of Directors, SLCAA, Patrick Jaia Kaikai, expressed that the State of Sierra Leone remained grateful to BAGASOO for its continued support while stating that the Authority would take advantage of this opportunity as the State prepares for the USOAP 2023.

Speaking on behalf of the SLCAA Director-General, the Deputy Director-General of Administration, Floyd Alex Davies Esq, informed the gathering that over the years, BAGASOO had played a key role in building the Aviation Industry in Sierra Leone.

“Similarly, the SLCAA recently hosted the ICAO Western and Central Africa Regional Office (WACAF) on a five-day (18th – 22nd July 2022) ROST Assistance Mission on the following audit areas: Primary Aviation Legislation and Civil Aviation Regulations (LEG), Civil Aviation Organization (ORG), Personnel Licensing (PEL), Aircraft Operations (OPS) and Airworthiness of Aircraft (AIR),” he said.

He concluded that the support from BAGASOO was not new due to the hard work of the Director-General, Dr. Moses Tiffa Baio, whose dream had been mainly to ensure Sierra Leone pass the ICAO USOAP.

In a brief statement, the BAGASOO Executive Director, Captain Tidiane Bah, said their mission was to implement BAGASOO Project with SLCAA and address deficiencies identified by the ROST Assistance Mission conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – West and Central Africa Office (WACAF) in July 2022.

Presenting the mission’s work schedule and action plans, the BAGASOO Regional Technical Coordinator – Airworthiness, Jailza Soraya, revealed that the scope of the mission would cover Revision and update of the State Aviation Activity Questionnaire (SAAQ); Revision of Technical Guidance Material, Revision of the surveillance policy and procedures for the national surveillance requirements; Revision of the enforcement policy and procedure for the resolution of safety concerns; Revision of policy and procedure for the granting of exemptions, and Revision and harmonization of the general part of the inspector handbooks, etc.

“At the end of the mission, the team will brief the SLCAA Management on progress made concerning the overall scope of work, highlight the findings identified, those that have been addressed, and recommendations to follow up and completion of outstanding work”, she ended.