Commissioner Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), Engineer Charles Irikefe, has warned member states on dangers of irregular funding and poor participation stating that such irregularities would hamper the agency’s continental goal.
Irikefe was speaking at the 18th Banjul Accord Group Plenary in Abuja, urging all member states to improve participation and funding to pull through its activities.
He outlined successes and challenges facing Regional Accident Investigation Organisations (RAIO) across West Africa.
The BAGAIA Commissioner noted that the agency’s work had improved significantly, especially in accident investigation, which has led to improved safety across BAG countries with safety recommendations.
A testament to this is that fact that five of the seven member states now have independent accident investigation bodies, a departure from 2019, when only two member states had functional authorities.
However, he warned that these gains are at risk due to irregular funding and limited state participation. “Some of the activities we plan to do will remain unachievable if we do not receive the necessary support,” Irikefe stated. “We call on member states to ensure timely remittance of their annual subscription fees and commitment to resolutions from BAG Commission meetings.”
The Commissioner praised the European Union Aviation Safety for Africa (EU-ASA) project. It has financed capacity development, workshops, and peer review efforts across the region. “All of the workshops, training sessions, and technical support we’ve delivered in recent years were made possible through the EU-ASA project. We are grateful to Mr. Konev and his team for their consistent backing”, he added.
He highlighted the agency’s support to Guinea in February 2022. A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A320-200N struck two individuals on a motorcycle who had accessed the runway. The event resulted in fatalities. BAGAIA helped classify the incident and supported Guinea in beginning structured investigations.
In Sierra Leone, the State’s Effective Implementation (EI) score improved dramatically from 11.1 per cent to 41 per cent after a successful International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit. Irikefe attributed this jump to BAGAIA’s technical guidance and collaborative work with the Sierra Leonean authorities.
But Irikefe acknowledged several obstacles hindering the agency’s mission, pointing to delays in subscription payments, which hamper project execution and technical support. Equally troubling is the low commitment from some states toward joint missions and cooperative programmes.
“There is limited engagement in participatory plans, and many states do not respond to invitations to collaborate,” he noted. Administrative costs are also burdensome. A 10 per cent surcharge on BAGAIA’s projects, caused by internal funding constraints and reliance on ICAO-sponsored staffing, has weakened the agency’s resources.
Another pressing issue is poor institutional collaboration. According to Irikefe, some stakeholders fail to adopt or implement resolutions passed at regional meetings. This lack of follow-through delays progress on safety improvements and undermines the objectives of Regional Accident Investigation Organisations (RAIO).
As a way forward, Irikefe informed that BAGAIA is expanding partnerships, with Memoranda of Cooperation being signed with agencies such as SASU in Libreville. Also talks are ongoing with the Interstate Aviation Committee of Russia to deepen technical exchanges and build investigative capacity.
Additionally, BAGAIA is working with Cranfield University and the Singapore Aviation Academy. These collaborations aim to deliver advanced simulation-based training to strengthen investigators’ response to complex accidents.
Irikefe emphasised that independent and credible investigation bodies boost confidence in air transport systems. “For airlines to consider flying to any BAG state, there must be confidence in its safety oversight systems and investigative autonomy,” he said. He added that a functioning and independent AIG is a critical safety benchmark.
To ensure that more African countries join BAGAIA and actively engage in its initiatives, the Commissioner disclosed that BAGAIA is cooperating with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) to revise legal frameworks. To achieve its mandate still BAGAIA seeks sustainable financing models to ensure it delivers on its continental mandate.
Concluding, Irikefe announced that the agency has released its third newsletter in 2023 while the fourth edition is currently pending due to lack of funding.