Ghana says security simulation exercise at Kotoka airport very successful

Colonel Moses Aryee, Director of Land Operations, General Headquaters, Ghana Armed Forces, has described this year’s security simulation exercise, “Exercise Pataku 2011” held at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on Wednesday, as very successful.

“For me it has been a very successful exercise in that it has revealed some of the lapses or gaps that we have especially gaps in communication, procedures and so on” he said.

He said, however, that participants in the exercise although did well, could do better.

Colonel Aryee expressed the hope that recommendatons from the exercise would be in the committee’s report, which would be compiled from the observations of the various exercise observers and coordinators.

He said once the report was out, latest by end of January 2012, they would expect the recommendations followed up and measures put in place to address the gaps in communications and procedures that were identified.

“We should be in a position to deal with any real situations that might occur especially because this exercise would have revealed the lapses, if we address them, then off course we will be able to deal with a real situation when it occurs” he stated.

Mrs Doreen Owusu Fianko, Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company Limited commended all participants for their hard work.

She said within the next two months, the GACL would make all the corrections that needed to be made and apply the lessons learnt before the next exercise in two years.

“After collating views, ideas and observations, we should be able to put together a manual spelling out details and putting in measures to eliminate some of the challenges faced such as getting a permanent communication channel from NCA, a dedicated channel that can be activated when needed,” she said.

Mrs Owusu Fianko was speaking in interview with the GNA after a debriefing session held for participant on the exercise.

She called on airlines operating at the KIA to ensure that their emergency procedures were always activated, since failure to do so during the exercise would pose some challenge to the operation.

She also stressed the need for all the security agencies involved to collaborate with the GACL in order to better handle such situations if and when they occur.

The exercise simulated an act of unlawful intereference with operations and facilities at the airport and subsequent swift response by security agencies.

The scenario involved a bomb located in the baggage hold screening area of the airport and an explosion at the meeters and greeters area. Emergency response teams were promptly dispatched to the scene. Another bomb exploded at the Aerostar roundabout.

Security agencies involved included personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, Police Service, Immigration Service, Revenue Authority, Customs Division, National Security, Narcotic Control Board, GACL and GCAA.

Some of the challenges identified by the various observers were lack of a well equipped emergency operations centre, proper coordination within and between the various posts, failure of airline officials to take care of their passengers by directing them to the general assembly point, inability to follow certain laid down procedures, handling of real passengers among others.

Another major challenge was the fact that most of the staff knew about the exercise and so did not react to the evacuation as they would have the threat been real.

Some passengers, who were present at the Airport and who were all evacuated from the area, said they did not know about the exercise and complained about the inconvenience.

Others also said the emergency response teams did a good job but added that they could have better handled the real passengers.

Source: GNA

Ghana says security simulation exercise at Kotoka airport very successful

Colonel Moses Aryee, Director of Land Operations, General Headquaters, Ghana Armed Forces, has described this year’s security simulation exercise, “Exercise Pataku 2011” held at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on Wednesday, as very successful.

“For me it has been a very successful exercise in that it has revealed some of the lapses or gaps that we have especially gaps in communication, procedures and so on” he said.

He said, however, that participants in the exercise although did well, could do better.

Colonel Aryee expressed the hope that recommendatons from the exercise would be in the committee’s report, which would be compiled from the observations of the various exercise observers and coordinators.

He said once the report was out, latest by end of January 2012, they would expect the recommendations followed up and measures put in place to address the gaps in communications and procedures that were identified.

“We should be in a position to deal with any real situations that might occur especially because this exercise would have revealed the lapses, if we address them, then off course we will be able to deal with a real situation when it occurs” he stated.

Mrs Doreen Owusu Fianko, Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company Limited commended all participants for their hard work.

She said within the next two months, the GACL would make all the corrections that needed to be made and apply the lessons learnt before the next exercise in two years.

“After collating views, ideas and observations, we should be able to put together a manual spelling out details and putting in measures to eliminate some of the challenges faced such as getting a permanent communication channel from NCA, a dedicated channel that can be activated when needed,” she said.

Mrs Owusu Fianko was speaking in interview with the GNA after a debriefing session held for participant on the exercise.

She called on airlines operating at the KIA to ensure that their emergency procedures were always activated, since failure to do so during the exercise would pose some challenge to the operation.

She also stressed the need for all the security agencies involved to collaborate with the GACL in order to better handle such situations if and when they occur.

The exercise simulated an act of unlawful intereference with operations and facilities at the airport and subsequent swift response by security agencies.

The scenario involved a bomb located in the baggage hold screening area of the airport and an explosion at the meeters and greeters area. Emergency response teams were promptly dispatched to the scene. Another bomb exploded at the Aerostar roundabout.

Security agencies involved included personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, Police Service, Immigration Service, Revenue Authority, Customs Division, National Security, Narcotic Control Board, GACL and GCAA.

Some of the challenges identified by the various observers were lack of a well equipped emergency operations centre, proper coordination within and between the various posts, failure of airline officials to take care of their passengers by directing them to the general assembly point, inability to follow certain laid down procedures, handling of real passengers among others.

Another major challenge was the fact that most of the staff knew about the exercise and so did not react to the evacuation as they would have the threat been real.

Some passengers, who were present at the Airport and who were all evacuated from the area, said they did not know about the exercise and complained about the inconvenience.

Others also said the emergency response teams did a good job but added that they could have better handled the real passengers.

Source: GNA