The newly appointed Director General of Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), Madam Musayeroh Barrie, has assumed office and is set to make some remarkable improvements to the Aviation Industry in Sierra Leone. Madam Barrie said she was very excited to have received the appointment by President Bio, and expressed happiness to serve her country in any capacity.
“Having worked at FNA for about a decade now, I am happy to be the new Director General of SLCAA, where I believe I will make immense contribution to the industry, as we work to improve the airport, as well as increase flights coming into Sierra Leone,” she said.
Madam Barrie averred that she worked with the previous administration of the SLCAA, and they did well to improve the airport, adding that she would pick up from where they stopped and would try all she could to do more for the airport.
“SLCAA was established by an Act of Parliament (the Civil Aviation Act, 2008) in April 2008 to provide for an independent professional oversight of international and domestic air transport and cargo services, in compliance with international agreements and obligations relating to Civil Aviation. The establishment of the SLCAA came about after the mandatory Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in May 8 – 12, 2006, which discovered that Sierra Leone was completely deficient in all eight critical elements that were audited,” she disclosed.
Madam Barrie said the airport has every potential to improve and bring in more flights, as they will be working with the government to see how they can make ticket prices competitive to meet other airports in the sub-region. She furthered that she already knows most of the staff and believes she will enjoy working with them in the coming years, as they work for a better airport with more passengers and flights in the coming weeks and months.
“I want to use this platform to thank His Excellency, Brig. Rtd. Julius Maada Bio, for giving me this herculean task to serve as Director General of SLCAA, and also thank those who came out to support me. With commitment and humility, I promise to serve my people and help President Bio in achieving his big five game changers in my capacity as Director General of SLCAA,” she stressed.
Madam Musayeroh Barrie has been the Country Director of Westminster, a British company that is providing security at Freetown International Airport, and has a wealth of experience working at the airport, and many people who this medium spoke to believe that she is the right person for the job.