Civil aviation works pick foreign objects from airport

Mr. Benjamin Ahlijah, Safety Manager at the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), has stressed the need for the removal of Foreign Objects Debris (FOD) from the airside as it could cause serious damage to an aircraft and its passengers.

Mr Ahlijah said when an aircraft’s engine sucks in an F.O.D such as bolts, nuts, pieces of glass, polythene and rubber, among others, it could cause problems in the engine which could put the lives of the passengers in danger.

He said this when the GACL on Tuesday undertook an F.O.D Walk at the airside of the Kotoka International Airport to collect foreign objects and debris.

The exercise involved staff of various departments of the GACL as well as journalists.

Mr Ahlijah told the GNA that it was important for the travelling public to know exactly what went into maintaining safety in the industry and ensuring that they have a safe flight anytime they flew.

“It’s not just about picking FOD, it’s about creating awareness about the need to keep FOD from the airside” he said.

“Safety is key, our success depends on it and safe flights start from the ground,” he said.

He however assured passengers that the KIA had not recorded any incident involving an FOD although they had reported spotting of foreign objects at the airside.

He said GACL was doing everything to prevent any such incidents from happening, including sweeping the taxi and runways everyday with a runway sweeper and organising quarterly FOD Walks.

Mr Oscar Provencal, Public Relations Officer of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a sponsor of the walk, presented 20 dustbins to the GACL in response to a request made by the Managing Director of the GACL to Zoomlion.

Source: GNA