Ghana’s airspace faces shutdown as Air Traffic Safety technicians declare indefinite strike

Ghana’s aviation sector is on the brink of an unprecedented shutdown as the Ghana Air Traffic Safety Electronics Association (GhATSEA) declares an indefinite nationwide strike beginning Thursday, October 30, 2025.

The association, which represents the country’s Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP), accuses the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of 15 years of neglect and administrative injustice, warning that all domestic and international flight operations could grind to a halt.

In a statement signed by GhATSEA President David Annan Mensah, the group lamented what it described as “prolonged mishandling of critical grievances” and said its patience had been “stretched beyond measure.”

The association pointed directly at the GCAA’s Human Resource Department, demanding the immediate dismissal of the Director of Human Resources and a comprehensive review of all outstanding welfare and structural concerns.

GhATSEA accused top GCAA management—including the Acting Director-General and Acting Deputy Director-General (Technical)—of adopting what it called a “regimental and brazen posture,” allegedly telling workers to “do your worse.”

“This dismissive attitude towards highly skilled technical professionals is unacceptable,” the statement continued, branding the GCAA’s leadership as “insensitive and contemptuous.”

Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel are the technical backbone of aviation safety, responsible for maintaining radar systems, navigational aids (VOR/DME), and communication networks that keep Ghana’s airspace operational and secure.

A work stoppage by ATSEPs effectively grounds all flights, as no aircraft can legally operate without their oversight of the country’s Air Navigation Services (ANS).

If the strike proceeds, thousands of travellers, as well as local and international airline operators, will be severely affected.

While apologizing to passengers and airlines for the disruption, GhATSEA placed full responsibility on GCAA management, stating:

The association called on government, Parliament, and the media to intervene urgently to prevent a total shutdown of air operations.

With just days to the planned strike, Ghana’s aviation authorities face a race against time to avert what could become one of the most disruptive industrial crises in the nation’s air transport history.