A landfill site located just 2.6 kilometres from the Sunyani Airport has raised fresh concerns about aviation safety, with the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) warning that it is attracting large numbers of birds that could collide with aircraft.
The company said the landfill, situated on the campus of the Sunyani Technical University, had become a feeding ground for birds, particularly the yellow-billed kite and the African wattled lapwing, thereby increasing the risk of bird strikes.
GACL explained that the facility fell short of international aviation safety standards, which require landfill sites to be located at least 13 kilometres away from airports.
The concern was raised yesterday at a stakeholder consultative meeting on wildlife hazards around the Sunyani Airport, organised by the GACL in Sunyani.
The meeting brought together representatives from government agencies, academia and environmental institutions to explore practical ways to improve aviation safety, strengthen inter-agency collaboration and address wildlife-related risks around the airport.
Making a presentation, the Manager in charge of Wildlife Management at GACL, Mr Adam Seidu, said poor sanitation practices around airports continued to attract birds and other wildlife, increasing the likelihood of bird strikes.
He explained that such incidents occurred mainly during take-off and landing, posing serious risks to passengers and crew, while also damaging aircraft and disrupting flight operations.
Mr Seidu described wildlife hazards as a major global aviation safety concern, noting that bird strikes cost the aviation industry an estimated US$1.2 billion annually.
He attributed the growing challenge to weak enforcement of sanitation by-laws by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, inadequate public education and limited policy support for wildlife hazard management.
Mr Seidu further warned that persistent bird strikes could undermine Ghana’s international aviation reputation.
Chairing the meeting, the Bono Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Addae Akwaboa, reaffirmed the Bono Regional Coordinating Council’s commitment to implementing recommendations from the stakeholder engagement.
He described the Sunyani Airport as a strategic national asset and a gateway for commerce, education, healthcare and agribusiness in the Bono Region, stressing the need to maintain high safety standards.
Mr Akwaboa said it was imperative to ensure that the airport operated in a safe and secure environment and called for coordinated efforts involving government institutions, traditional authorities, environmental experts and local communities to develop sustainable solutions.
Meanwhile, the Dean of the School of Natural Resources at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Professor Daniel Akoto Sarfo, said the university had developed a proposal to improve waste management in the Sunyani Municipality and was awaiting approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
He appealed for government and institutional support to facilitate the implementation of the project.
The latest development adds to existing wildlife hazards confronting the airport. On October 10, 2025, The Ghanaian Times reported that a growing colony of bats at UENR was posing a threat to flight operations, as the animals frequently crossed the airport’s airspace.
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, SUNYANI
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
