By Emmanuel Oti Acheampong
The Public Accounts Committee has ordered that Ghana Airport Company and Ghana Civil Aviation Authority to pay an amount of $10m it owed the Ghana Meteorological Agency.
The Acting Director General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency Mr. Eric Esuman has explained that its indebtedness of Ten Million Dollars is as a result of Ghana Airport Company and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority inability to honour their financial obligations.
Mr. Esuman made the pronouncement when he together with some officials of the Ghana Meteorological Agency appeared before the Public Accounts Committee public hearing on February 19, 2024 to respond to some infractions cited against the GMA by the Auditor – Generals Report for the period Ended 31st December, 2022.
He told the committee that his outfit has made frantic efforts to recover the amount (10 million Dollars) that Ghana Civil Aviation owes them. He explained that, in May 2023, a letter was written to the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority reminding them of the amount owed them.
In addition, he appealed to the committee to compel GCAA to pay the monies owed them. “Mr. Chairman all efforts to get GCAA to honor our request, even to reconcile and have a payment plan has proved futile,” he stressed.
Speaking to the Media after the PAC public hearing, Mr. Esuman emphasized that the 10 Million Dollar debt was occasioned by the amendment of the Ghana Meteorological Agency Act in 2019.
Ghana Airport Company, Ghana Civil Aviation are mandated to give specific percentages of their receivables to Ghana Meteorological Agency for services they provide them.
However, he said once Public Account Committee has dealt with the issue, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority must comply adding that failure to pay the money will result into a legal action as the last remedy.
