G-Met, Ghana Airports Company, GCAA haggle over US$10m debt
The Ghana Meteorological Agency (G-Met), the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) are haggling over the cost of weather services provided by G-Met.
While the G-Met contends that the two entities owe the agency an amount of 10 million dollars for services provided, the GCAA, which is the aviation sector regulator, disputes the figures presented and seeks a reconciliation.
The discrepancy in figures presented is partially down to the changes in the legislation
governing the operations of both the GCAA and G-Met, specifically concerning their receivables.
The Airport Passenger Service Charge, a GHC 5 and US$100 levy paid by both domestic and international passengers respectively using any of the five main domestic airports and the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) was hitherto paid to the GACL and used for the management and maintenance of existing airport infrastructure, and as a collateral for the construction of new aviation infrastructure including the iconic Terminal 3 at the Kotoka International Airport.
However, a change in the GCAA and G-Met legislation meant that the GACL had to pay a percentage of that receivable to the two entities. The GCAA out of its receivables now has to pay part to G-Met for weather service provision
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, Mr. Eric Esuman the Acting Director-General of G-Met, told the committee that: ‘’… all efforts to get GCAA to honour our request, even to reconcile and have a payment plan has proved futile. ‘’
Mr. Eric Esuman noted that the US$ 10 million debt was occasioned by the amendment of the Ghana Meteorological Agency Act in 2019. The amendments mandate the Ghana Airports Company Limited and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority to give specific percentages of their receivables to GMA for the weather forecasting and update services they provide for the smooth operation of airports in Ghana.
However, senior officials of GCAA have told AviationGhana that the figures presented by G-Met need to be reconciled and a payment plan instituted.