National Aviation Safety coordination Committee inaugurated

The minister of state for transport Fred Byamukama inaugurated the national State Safety Programme (SSP) coordination group that will oversee regulatory compliance and the overall safety of the aviation and transportation sectors. The eight-member committee which was inaugurated on Thursday at Protea hotel in Kampala, comprises officials from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), Uganda People’s Defence Air Force, ministry of works and transport, airline companies, air traffic control and air navigation systems among others.

*Fred Bamwesigye (left) the UCAA director general assenting to the Uganda aviation safety policy as some of the UCAA board members look on*

Byamukama noted that the establishment of the coordination group underscores Uganda’s dedication to implementing a structured, data-driven and proactive approach to safety management in alignment with the national and international standards. “This group will serve as the central pillar in ensuring that safety policies, risk assessments and regulatory frameworks are not only developed but effectively implemented across all relevant sectors,” the minister stated.

Fred Bamwesigye, the UCAA director general further explained that the group will play a crucial role in ensuring that aviation safety is not a responsibility of a single entity but a shared duty among all stakeholders. He also revealed that the formation of the SSP group is part of the regulations set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for safety management.

ICAO tasks different states to establish national SSP coordination groups to ensure cross-sector collaboration and effective safety risk management. Bamwesigye emphasised that the inaugurated group is mainly tasked with enhancing predictive risk analysis to prevent accidents before they occur. “Let us remember that aviation safety is not just a policy. It is a culture that we must nurture everyday and through our collective efforts, we will build a safer, more resilient and efficient safety industry,” Bamwesigye implored.

Fred Bamwesigye (left) the UCAA director general and Fred Byamukama the minister of state for transport having a discussion before the inauguration of the national SSP coordination group at Protea hotel in Kampala

Steven Kavuma, the UCAA board chairperson said aviation safety oversight has evolved from a reactive approach to a proactive and predictive approach. “Initially, safety regulations were primarily compliance-based, meaning the regulators and service providers focused on meeting prescriptive requirements rather than managing risks dynamically,” Kavuma noted. He expressed optimism that the national SSP coordination group will see a transition from a reactive to a predictive safety management approach.