GHANA'S NEW CIVIL AVIATION HEAD

UNCLAS ACCRA 001021 EEB/TRA FOR JOHN BYERLY SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ECON MARR GH SUBJECT: GHANA'S NEW CIVIL AVIATION HEAD ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The GOG has signaled that it was raising the profile of civil aviation issues by selecting a new head of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Air Commodore Kwame Mamphey. Mamphey's selection also underlined the continuing influence of former President J.J. Rawlings in civair affairs in Ghana. Mamphey previewed his priorities and concerns, which include greater attention to manpower development, training, restoring Ghana to FAA Tier 1 status, supporting Transport Minister Mike Hammah's direction to Delta to improve service on its Accra-JFK route, and coping with the additional demand for air traffic and search and rescue operations due to increased oil and gas drilling offshore Ghana. Mamphey supports the recently floated proposal for the Ghana Air Force to purchase four C-27J aircraft from the U.S. END SUMMARY. -------------- New Pilot Steers GCAA -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Econoffs met with Air Commodore Kwame Mamphey (ret.),the new Director General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and his predecessor, Simon Allotey. Allotey was kept in "acting" DG capacity for 5 years by the previous NPP government. The new assignment of a permanent DG is part of the current ruling NDC government's stated efforts to raise the profile of civair issues in Ghana. According to civair contacts, Mamphey's appointment also reflects the continuing political influence of former President and Ghana Air Force Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings. NOTE: Mamphey was one of the pilots of President Rawlings's presidential airplane in the 1980s. END NOTE. -------------- Feeling Tiered -------------- ¶3. (U) Mamphey stressed his priority of improving manpower development and training at the airport. He also supported continuing the GCAA's work in restoring Ghana to Tier I status. As part of those efforts, Mamphey related that he was in the process of hiring a retired FAA employee as a GCAA consultant starting in November. -------------- Hammah for Change by Delta -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The DG mentioned Transport Minister Mike Hammah's directive that Delta improve service on the Accra-JFK flight, or the GOG would open the route up for greater competition. The GOG has received numerous complaints about delays that affect U.S. domestic transit flights out of JFK, shoddy service, and cramped seating. Acknowledging a reduction in Delta's revenue, the DG and his predecessor proposed changing the seat pitch, i.e. taking out a column of seats in economy. They noted that KLM and Lufthansa flew Boeing 777 aircraft to Accra and suggested Delta could see increased profits by using 777s rather than the 767s and 757s they currently use. ¶5. (SBU) Both Mamphey and Allotey said there was absolutely no problem with Delta's safety record in Accra and that the planes are maintained well here. It was unfortunate that Delta had tire problems and was grounded on the day customer complaints reached the Minister, who decided on an impromptu visit to Delta at the airport that very day. "Politicians have to be responsive to their constituents," they remarked. ¶6. (SBU) They discussed opening up the New York route to competition by Continental or other carriers as a way to spur Delta to take their concerns more seriously. Allotey noted that Continental had contacted them regarding this route in the past and could still be interested. -------------- Can You C-27? -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In his former capacity as a Ghana Air Force officer, Commodore Mamphey worked with to the DAO and Office of Security Cooperation. Unprompted, he voiced support for the purchase of four C-27J Spartan cargo planes for the GAF for peace-keeping operations. He also told econoffs he is interested in beefing up the GCAA's ability to handle increased air traffic due to offshore oil exploration activity, and specifically search and rescue surveillance. FURUTA-TOY