Investigation of air accidents in Nigeria is fraught with many obstacles, forcing a probe to linger for years. According to experts, a probe can be fast tracked if the enabling laws of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) are reviewed to accommodate latest global realities as prescribed in Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.
Efforts to improve air safety in the aviation sector received boost last week when experts, stakeholders and representatives of international organisations met in Lagos to examine ways of stepping up the ante for the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).
It was a stakeholders meeting to review the 2016 regulations of the AIB and other issues affecting the operations of the body saddled with the task of probing air accidents and incidents and their implications for the sector.
Setting the tone for the two-day programme, AIB Chief Executive Officer/Commissioner Akin Olateru said the forum was to gather input from experts and players in the sector on ways to review relevant sections of the Civil Aviation Act 2016.
He said the forum also provided another window for the bureau to present before the industry its proposed “notice of rule making”, a prerequisite prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), before any fundamental review is carried out by statutory aviation organisations.
Olateru said besides being congruent with global standards, the two-day event was another attempt to familiarise itself with international best practices in the accident /incident investigation processes and procedures.
He said a review of the AIB regulations was long overdue, as certain provisions in its enabling Act 2016 needed to be amended to pave the way for new provisions that would dictate its standard operating procedures.
To achieve this, he said the bureau needed to go beyond a review of its laws and put in place measures to enhance the training of its personnel and keep them in track with its statutory responsibilities.
He noted that because AIB’s accident reports are critical to the growth and sustainability of the air travel industry, a review of its regulations remained key in the drive to take the sector to the next level.
He said the commitment of funds in research and development, processes and procedures were part of the steps to step up the performance of the bureau.
Citing global standards, he said the review remains critical to keep faith with the responsibility of the agency.
According to him, the parlous attitude of airline operators, who were conspicuously absent from the forum is not only disappointing, but a sad commentary of the sector, where players who put huge monies into business are not available to examine issues critical to safety, regulation and efforts to drive the growth of the sector.
He noted that the volatility of the sector requires that processes and procedures were cleaned up not only to stimulate growth but to position the economy.
He said there was now a shift in paradigm in the way the Bureau operates individual approach as opposed to group approach, which is critical in growing the brand through enhancement in on the job training , systems, manuals , procedures aimed at taking the agency to the next level.
In his welcome remarks, Forum facilitator and Managing Director, SpringFountain Consult, Mr Tunde Fagbemi, noted that the review of AIB regulations through the process of notice of rule making will bring about a new Act for the Bureau.
He said latest developments in air travel and the inherent requirements required that agencies including the AIB subjected its operations to timely civil aviation regulations.
He noted that because AIB’s accident reports are critical to the growth and sustainability of the air travel industry, a review of its regulations remained key in the drive to take the sector further.
Speaking on the paper titled: Accident, AIB Reports and its implication for Propensity to Travel , Consumer Choices and Learning Points, Fagbemi examined the quality control assessment of the sector as it affects accident prevention.
He said AIB accident report served as timely information, because they were central to the growth of the industry for confidence building and comfort of consumers.
Fagbemi affirmed that given the place of AIB in the aviation value chain, the bureau should engage the best personnel who are expected to give their best in a conducive environment, yet must deliver no matter the pressure they are subjected to.
He said AIB reports, its findings and recommendations are critical to protection of the consumer .
He canvassed investigation of airport authorities including Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) by the AIB,which he said, must extend beyond regulatory certification of aerodromes.
Fagbemi said the scope of the AIB needed to be expanded to enable it call airport authorities to order thereby reducing accidents and serious incidents at the airside.
He said the investigative purview of the AIB requires expansion to cover the value chain of the industry.
He spoke of the need to review the value chain to stimulate the propensity by consumers to patronise air transportation .
Contributing to presentations, Olateru said the agency was working hard to activate the 19 ICAO Annexes to improve safety in the industry.
He spared a thought for considerations by some persons in the regulatory body; Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who held the view that if every agency did their work well, the AIB, would be rendered redundant. Olateru said such thought were laughable, affirming that with the robust training, expertise and capacity , whoever is to provide leadership for the bureau needed lot of guts, courage to fix the industry. Giving his remarks, Mr Patrick Ita Eyang , a legal draft expert in the Federal Ministry of Justice, said a review of the AIB regulations was in line with the policy of government .
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, he said the ministry will accord recognition to the proposed regulation in line with international best practices.
In his presentation titled: Implementing AIB Recommendations & Learning Points: NCAA’s Perspectives, the Director-General, NCAA, Capt Mukhtar Shaibu Usman, said the authority has constituted a team from all departments to evaluate the Bureau’s reports and has responded to the safety recommendations issued by the AIB.
He canvassed an electronic network for communication for bodies saddled with the task of longing into AIB safety recommendations.
He said there is need to re – activate the quarterly meeting between the NCAA and the Bureau on how to implement some safety recommendations .
He said recent developments in the aviation sector signposts the speed with which the AIB has discharged its responsibilities.
He pointed out that aviation accidents are the most feared by consumers and it is worse than war situations.
According to him, people are afraid of getting onboard airplanes because of the anxiety over expected outcomes.
He noted that the deflation of confidence in the sector could be assuaged by the AIB providing timely information.
Timely, accurate and transparent information could boost public confidence about air travel.
In her presentation, Group Managing Director, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Aviance, Mrs Tokunbo Fagbemi, titled: Implementing AIB Recommendations & Learning Points. The Handling Agents Perspectives & Insight, she said ground handling companies have a huge role to play in accident investigation in the aviation value chain.
According to her, the relevance of AIB recommendations will bring about new standard operating procedures, enhanced training and other issues arising from safety recommendations from AIB.
Without isolating the place of ground handling in air accidents, which sometimes may lead to death or other damage, she said ground handling risks costs the company a lot of money .
She identified ground based risks as one of the factors that could bring about air crashes.
Citing valuable statistics, she identified how ramp incidents occur due to ground handling and canvassed the need to look into human factors .
She urged AIB to look into its definition of dangerous good to factor it into the proposed review of its regulations .
The Managing Director, Aerocontractors, Capt Ado Sanusi in his presentation titled: Implementing AIB Recommendations & Learning Point. The Airline Operators Perspective & Insight, he harped on the need to define what constitutes an accident / incident for reporting.
He affirmed that while the idea of accident investigation is not punitive , there is need to protect the operator.
He emphasised the need to identify risk and mitigate its effects . He, however, spared a thought on how to handle the conflict between how to remain in business and keeping a safe operation.
He affirmed that safety recommendations should be guided to avoid any escalation that could trigger legal action.
He proposed an integrated reporting system by the AIB and NCAA.