As the 18th plenary of the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) kicked off yesterday in Abuja, stakeholders have again harped on urgent implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) to reduce the high cost of travel and increase connectivity across the continent.

The meeting had in attendance the Directors-General of Civil Aviation (DGCAs) of the BAG countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Conakry, Cape Verde and Gambia.

Declaring open the three-day gathering, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, stated that SAATM’s implementation would increase air connectivity, make trips shorter with optimal user satisfaction at minimal prices.

He clarified that SAATM represents the vision of achieving the African Union’s (AU)Agenda 2063 and unlocking the immense potential of seamless air connectivity across the continent, adding that air connectivity is an asset to improve global competitiveness of cities, states and regions, thus Africa cannot be left behind.

The minister said: “It is believed that SAATM will enhance intra-African connections and make movement of passengers and cargo smooth with minimum transit points at competitive prices. Achieving these requires our collective resolve not only to implement SAATM, but also to make conscious efforts to address the issues of non-physical barriers, including the high cost of travel within the region.”

Also speaking, Secretary-General of the African Civil Aviation Council (AFCAC), Adefunke Adeyemi, called on the BAG members to urgently domesticate the SAATM provisions into their national policies and laws, to reform and align fully with the initiative’s revised principles, and to strengthen regulatory institutions.

She called on the regional body to be known as the engine of SAATM implementation in West Africa, and bring progress for aviation across the globe.

In his welcome address, Nigeria’s Director-General of Civil Aviation, Captain Chris Najomo, said the session was an opportunity to renew member countries’ focus on the challenges ahead, including infrastructure gaps, personnel shortages, emerging safety risks and the importance of digital transformation in aviation.

He observed that BAG continues to serve as a beacon of sub-regional cooperation that witnesses progress and promotes a safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible air transport sector in line with the “No Country Left Behind” initiative of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Head of the BAG Secretariat, Fansu Bojang, who doubles as Director-General of The Gambia Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said more needed to be done to unlock the potential of the sub-region.

Senate Committee Chairman on Aviation, Buhari Abdulfatai, represented by Senator Augustine Akobundu, pledged the National Assembly’s commitment to the ideas of BAG and a harmonised West African aviation community.