The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Accident Investigation Bureau ( AIB)

  • NCAA to ensure full compliance with FG’s executive order at airports

    NCAA to ensure full compliance with FG’s executive order at airports

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said on Tuesday that it had put in place measures to ensure full and sustained compliance with the Federal Government’s Executive Order at airports in the country.

    The General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, said the agency’s Director General, Capt. Muhtar Usman, had directed all Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI) to monitor the level of compliance with the order.

    Adurogboye said this was alongside their statutory oversight responsibilities at the airports, as enshrined in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2015 (Nig.CARs 2015).

    “All aviation parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Aviation, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigeria Meteorological Agency (Nimet) and Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) have since commenced compliance to the order.

    “On its part, NCAA has prepared a standard document outlining its core functions and services, appropriate charges, fees, licences, waivers and other tax-related processes, in adherence to the order.

    “The schedule contains mode of communication of official decisions to the various applicants for our sundry services,’’ Adurogboye said in the statement issued in Lagos.

    According to him, this information, together with other vital information, for ease of doing business in the Nigerian aviation sector are contained in the official website of the NCAA.

    He said the federal government had handed down the order with the view to eliminate the unnecessary bureaucracy that impedes business activities at Nigeria’s airports.

    Adurogboye added that it would improve safety, security and facilitation of passengers within and around the airports.

    He said the NCAA director general was in constant discussions with the heads of aviation agencies to ensure sustained adherence to the order by the agencies and continuous surveillance by the regulatory authority.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had on May 18 signed three far-reaching executive orders expected to ease business, fast-track budget submission and promote made in Nigeria products.

  • We’ve implemented safety recommendations on crash – DANA Air

    We’ve implemented safety recommendations on crash – DANA Air

    DANA Air said Monday that it has implemented the safety recommendations rolled out by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) after its crash of June 3, 2012.

    The airline disclosed this Monday in a statement signed by its head of corporate communications, Kingsley Ezenwa.

    The statement reads: “Following the release of the final report of the June 3, 2012 Accident, we wish to reassure our guests of our total commitment to their safety and comfort onboard our flights.

    “We wish to also state that Dana Air swung into action immediately the Interim Safety Recommendations were released in 2013 and as an airline strictly committed to the safety and comfort of its guests, we  implemented all the recommendations same year, as released by  AIB.

    “We did not stop at just implementing the recommendations; we also successfully passed an operational audit conducted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s Flight Safety Group and its foreign partners.

    “In 2016, after another rigorous operational audit, Dana Air was admitted into the IOSA register to underscore its strict adherence to global management and safety standards and procedures required of global carriers.

    “While we acknowledge the full report, and will continue to review it, we are glad that the report confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy at the time of departure, flight crew were certified and that we have cleared all defects during their last check.”

    Dana Air said it maintains a rich spare parts store to date.

    The statement reads: “We have doubled our maintenance and safety efforts with constant training and retraining get of our crew and ground staff.

    “The safety and comfort of our guests remains a top priority to us and may the beautiful souls of the crew and guests we lost at the unfortunate accident continue to rest in peace- Amen.

    “They remain forever in our hearts and our prayers and thoughts will continue to be with their friends and loved ones.”

     

     

     

  • Olateru seeks AIB’s staff cooperation to reposition agency

    Olateru seeks AIB’s staff cooperation to reposition agency

    Newly appointed Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Engr. Akin Olateru has appealed to management and staff to cooperate with him in order to move the agency forward.

    This is just as he said that his vision for the agency is to make it the biggest in the sector.

    Olateru stated this during the handing-over ceremony at the agency’s headquarters at Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA.

    He commended the immediate past Commissioner, Dr Felix Abali for improving the parastatal from where he met it and keeping it together over the years despite the challenges.

    He also promised to make training a priority for staff, stressing that through this, their technical know-how would improve.

    “I thank you for keeping this place together despite the missiles. I have heard a lot about AIB. I know it is the smallest in the ministry, but, before the end of my tenure, I will ensure that the agency becomes the biggest of all. That’s my mission.

    “However, for that to happen, I will require the maximum cooperation of all staff. I can’t do it alone, but we are here to make it happen. It is for the benefit of all staff of AIB if we can make this organisation to work. It’s not about size sometimes, but about efficiency and effectiveness.

    “This is a new dawn and I am begging everyone to give this new administration a chance. Whatever that has happened in the past, let it be in the past. Aviation is highly technical, very expensive and the most regulated in the world. At the end of the day, we are all going to be happy because everyone will go on training and more opportunities would be given to people.”

    Earlier, Abali commended the entire staff for their support towards him as the Commissioner of the agency and called on them to support the new administration.

    He, however, appealed to some of the disgruntled elements in the system to sheath their sword for the growth of the organisation.

    “I thank the management and staff for their supports for me through thick and thin. And for those who were bent on destroying the agency, I don’t know what else to tell them to change their minds. I’ve spoken with them, but all to no avail,” he said.

  • “Don’t place embargoes on foreign training”

    The Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Dr. Felix Abali has appealed to the Federal Government to exempt its technical personnel from the current embargo placed on foreign training since 2015.
    Abali explained that accident investigation is a specialised area that requires special training hence such training could only mostly be  obtained  overseas.
    Abali stated this yesterday at the bureau’s headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Lagos during the visit of the House Ad-Hoc Committee on Non-Oil Revenue and Remittances.
    The Federal Government  in early 2015 suspended foreign training and international travels by Departments and Agencies, MDAs.
    The government said that the embargo on training and international travels is one of the cost-saving measures introduced following recent developments in the international oil market, which has affected the revenue stream of the government.
    Since the directive, which was announced by the Head of Service, Mr. Danladi kifasi in February 2015, technical personnel in the nation’s aviation industry have  not  embarked  on foreign training to boost their technical knowledge.
    Abali further advocated for the increase of the  three  per cent of the ticket sales charge to 10 percent, stressing that paucity of funds has prevented the agency from carrying out its duties as a responsible accident investigator.
    He added that AIB as parts of its succession plan requires  special funding to operate and hoping  that the committee would use its good office to push for the upward review of the ticket sales charge for the agency.
    He added:  “For emergency and high profile accidents, AIB requires an emergency or special account to meet this need. Malaysia MH 370 and TWA 800 accidents, among others, are apt examples. Stakeholders and public awareness campaign requires adequate funding. We request for support in this area.
    “Accident investigation bodies are not expected to charge for their services and so the opportunity to generate independent revenue is almost nil. Based on Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Manual, there should be special fund dedicated to catre for any major accidents. It has been very difficult to provide and keep this fund since every unspent money goes back to the Federal Treasury by 31st December of every financial year.”
    He declared that AIB needs  to urgently meet the need for qualified personnel to takeover from the crop of ageing technical personnel who he said are  currently on contract, stressing that huge fund was required for manpower development, majority of which is done overseas.
    He mentioned the upgrade of flight safety, laboratory and flight data monitoring device, equipping of wreckage hangar and establishment of two regional offices in Kano and Enugu as some of the ongoing projects of AIB.
    In his response, the Chairman of the committee, Hon. Chike Okafor promised to assist the bureau in resolving some of its challenges.
    Okafor noted that the essence of the committee is to look at other avenues by which the Federal Government could make more revenues apart from oil, which he noted has been dwindling in recent time.
    He posited that part of its assignment is to see how the committee could help the government to shore up its revenues apart from oil.
    “Nigeria is about 80 percent dependent on oil, which has crashed in recent time in the international market. Nigeria is in comatose and we all have to save the country from total collapse.
    He, however commended AIB for its total cooperation with its advance team, which crosschecked its books for over a week.

  • Relations to get DANA Air crash victims’ items

    About 13 months after 153 passengers and crew died on board DANA Air McDonnell Douglas 83 aircraft,  the  Accident Investigation Bureau ( AIB), is now ready to  release  some items belonging to the victims of the crash to their relations.

    The belongings were recovered from the wreckage of the ill-fated aircraft, which crashed into residential buildings in Iju/ Ishaga area of Lagos.

    According to statement by the AIB, signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr Tunji Oketunbi, relations of the victims of the crash are advised to visit the bureau’s office at the Murtala Muhammed  International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for identification and collection of the items.

    Oketunbi said a belongings recovered from the crash site include : bags, jewelries laptops, phones, cash and identity cards that were badly affected by fire and the impact of the crash.

    The statement reads:” Accident Investigation Bureau will be releasing some items belonging to the victims of the DANA Air crash, which occurred in Iju Ishaga, on the outskirts of Lagos June 3, 2012 to the relations.

    “The affected relations are advised to visit the Lagos office of the bureau at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja for identification and collection of the items.

    “The Bureau wishes to announce that the contacts for the victims’ families obtained from Dana Air have been contacted to facilitate the exercise.

    “AIB has since been investigating the cause of the crash even as a detailed report will be issued as soon as possible.

    “The release of the items would not affect the ongoing investigation.   A lot of belongings recovered from the crash site including bags, jewelries, laptops, phones, cash and identity cards were badly affected by fire and the impact of the crash. There are also some items with unidentified owners.”