Kotoka International Airport moves to curb extortion

As part of measures to curb corruption at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), and by extension other airports in Ghana, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has posted warning notices in almost all offices at its facilities.

The notices are to warn workers to stay away from taking bribes from clients, thereby impeding the free flow of services.

The notices with inscriptions such as ‘We do not condone extortion at the airports’ and ‘All we accept is thank you’ come with the logo of the Ghana Airports Company Limited and it is written in blue-black and red colours.

 One of the notices designed in a frame on some of the walls of KIA.

The initiative, according to sources, was an initiative of the Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Simon Allotey.

It is aimed at eradicating perceived extortion at the airports.

Prior to the notices, the Director-General had issued a statement on the alleged extortion at the various airports in the country.

The release dated Thursday, February 14 with the headline: ‘Extortion of money from passengers at Kotoka International Airport’.

The statement said: “The attention of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has been drawn to allegations of coercion and extortion by uniformed personnel working at the Kotoka International Airport”.

It further warned: “Such practices are unprofessional, unethical and unacceptable.

“The Authority has set up a task force to investigate the matter and in the same vein, has requested the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) to put measures in place to curb such practice.

“The general public is hereby advised not to give in to pleas, coercion or extortion of money by any personnel operating at the Kotoka International Airport and should report such conduct to the Consumer Complaint unit within the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.”

Mr. Allotey assured that “the Authority will continue to ensure that passengers are not harassed and will sanction any person or group of persons found to engage in acts at our airports that tarnish the image of our country”.