- To Carry Out Audit Of All Airlines To Ensure Passengers’ Safety
- Says Those Aviation Experts Should Take Their Wives, Children To Board An Airline That Was Declared Unsafe
- Respect NCAA’s Regulatory Autonomy, Aviation Group Fires Keyamo
Following the near tragic experience of the Dana Air planes that skidded off the runway at Lagos airport, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has declared that a comprehensive audit of all local airlines operating in the country will be carried out.
This, he said, is in a bid to ensure the safety of the flying public.
Trouble had started on Tuesday when an airplane belonging to Dana Air skidded off the runway at Lagos airport.
The following day, Keyamo directed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA to suspend Dana Airlines, saying recent events of the local carrier have raised serious concerns regarding both the safety and financial viability of their operations.
The minister said the airline should remain suspended until the conduct of a comprehensive audit, a directive NCAA Director General Chris Najomo enforced immediately.
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This directive did not go down well with some stakeholders who flayed the Minister for interfering in the regulatory functions of the NCAA.
Civil aviation watchdog, the Aviation Safety Roundtable Initiative (ART), criticised Keyamo, over what the sentries described as “external interference” in the autonomy of the NCAA.
In a statement on Thursday by the group’s General Secretary, Olumide Ohunayo, ART expressed disappointment with the actions of the minister in the suspension of Dana Airlines.
The group said it was wrong for the minister to direct the NCAA to suspend an airline. ART urged Keyamo to respect the autonomy of the regulator.
“The suspension of the entire operations of Dana Airlines directed by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development runs against these principles and indicates a return to the ugly past that destroys confidence in the industry and by the global community on the principles of an autonomous industry regulator, representing a threat to safety, security in the sector generally.
“ART condemns the external interference demonstrated by the Minister’s directive which serves to erode institutional autonomy and jeopardizes safety in the aviation sector. ART hereby reiterates its commitment to the non-negotiable autonomy of the NCAA as stated in Section 4 (3) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act.”
Continuing, ART said, “The conduct of financial audits of airlines lies exclusively with the NCAA. The decisions on what are appropriate sanctions for violations also lie with the NCAA exclusively.
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“The ART hereby advises an immediate lifting of the suspension of the entire operation of Dana Airlines and demands an apology to the entire Aviation community for the actions from the HMA&A and the Ministry while the NCAA / NSIB investigation continues on the affected MD 82 aircraft or fleet and the company Dana, for which the NCAA is expected to carry on its role and met the appropriate actions.”
ART advised the minister to concentrate his efforts on policy issues that positively impact the airline industry.
ART also demands that other agencies be allowed to carry out their statutory obligations without interference, including the observed interferences.
Reacting, Keyamo while making an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday said that beyond the suspension of Dana Airlines and the ongoing audit of the airline, all other carriers in the country would be audited to guarantee the safety of passengers and the health of the civil aviation industry.
Keyamo, while slamming his critics, affirmed that the law empowers him to direct the NCAA to do the right thing “in matters of national security”.
The minister argued that “a series of incidents had happened two years ago that the airline is not healthy”.
“Let those aviation experts take their wives and children to board that airline that was declared unsafe,” said a furious Keyamo.
“Would Nigerians have preferred that I keep quiet and be part of the cartel, all in the name of I am not supposed to interfere? What am I doing as minister?” he queried.
On how long the audit of Dana Airlines would take, he said, “It can be as quick as possible. Like I said, do the right thing, return to business. We must do the right things for the safety of Nigerians. Not only them (Dana Airlines), we will carry an audit of all of them, all of them. Let Nigerians be safe when they fly our airlines.”
