The Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA) has announced the appointment of Colonel Lawrence Jarra as the Chairman of the officially formed board.
Jarra is the Commissioner of The Gambia’s Aircraft Investigation Bureau (AIB), while Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Instituto de Prevenção e Investigação de Acidentes Aeronáuticos e Marítimos (IPIAAM), Engineer Jorge Manuel Rodrigues, has been appointed as Vice Chairman.
BAGAIA Commissioner, Engineer Charles Irikefe Erhueh, announced the new structure, emphasising that the establishment of the board was one of the most strategic decisions taken during the Abuja meeting. “We now have a Board Chairman, Colonel Lawrence Jarra, and a Vice Chairman in Engineer Jorge Rodrigues. This provides the structure we need for stronger policy coordination and implementation”, he stated.
The newly established BAGAIA leadership board structure comprises the heads of accident investigation bureaus from member states, designed to streamline the agency’s decision-making process and ensure consistent, collective policy guidance across member states. The Commissioner of BAGAIA will serve as Board Secretary, ensuring direct access to technical leadership and policy execution.
The board’s establishment document was formally signed by five member states on May 22, 2025, and has now taken full legal effect. The appointments of Colonel Jarra and Engineer Rodrigues symbolise both continuity and a forward-looking governance model, expected to enhance operational coordination, address strategic funding, capacity development, and safety investigation policies.
The new leadership board structure is also expected to strengthen ties with global aviation safety partners and bolster the region’s influence within the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
With the appointment of a functional leadership board, BAGAIA is set to navigate future safety challenges with improved coordination and vision.