The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Safety

  • Safety institute urges professionalism at induction

    Safety institute urges professionalism at induction

    Graduating trainees of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) have received the best gift they could ever ask for: a thorough orientation on how not only to succeed in their jobs but also to ensure the safety of everyone.

    At an induction session in Ikeja, Lagos, ISPON chiefs urged the graduating trainees to be devoted to their jobs and to discharge their duties with “dignity, discretion and honour, “ their focus being to “serve mankind”.

    The President of the institute, Mr Shaw Fregene told the inductees to always observe the ethics of their profession, noting that it is by doing so that they uphold the institute in addition to serving their clients or employers better.

    The institute draws some of its membership from a wide range of service providers and professionals including engineers, occupational hygienists, environmentalists, medical and health practitioners, fire fighter and security professionals.

    “Our mission,” said Fregene, “is to achieve excellent safety performance of organisations and create safety awareness through information dissemination, courses, seminars, audits and publications, thus promoting, encouraging and improving occupational methods and procedures in the industries, public sector and institutions.”

    Addressing the new members, the ISPON president urged that they update themselves in order to perform at their optimum. Fregene told them to attend meetings called by the institute, adding that they should equally participate in workshops and seminars “in order to succeed as safety professionals.”

    In a paper, Dr Nicholas Okere, a member of ISPON, advised that private organisations, welders and small-scale entrepreneurs, and indeed every service provider, need to operate in healthy and safe environments.

  • Associated Aviation plane crash resurrects safety concerns

    Last week’s crash of an Embraer 120 aircraft near the MurtalaMuhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, few minutes after take-off, has once again thrown to the fore, the issue of safety in the nation’s airspace. Over the last 16 months, this crash is the third involving domestic carriers, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

     

    For friends and family members of the late former governor of Ondo State, Dr. OlusegunAgagu, these are,indeed, very trying times. Elaborate preparations had been put in place by the government and people of the state he once served meritoriously as its chief executive officer to give him a befitting final journey home.

    Decked in ceremonial dresses, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, members of his cabinet, family members and other distinguished senior citizens of the state had gathered waiting to receive the remains of the scholar-turned politician only to hear that the aircraft bearing his remains had crashed few minutes after take-off with grave fatalities. By the time the thick smoke that enveloped the crashed Associated Aviation Embrear 120 aircraft subsided, over 13 persons were confirmed dead while scores were injured.

    After the spate of air crashes that took the aviation industry by the storm about five years ago abated, the last Dana Air crash and the one that happened last week has once again raised questions about the level of safety in the industry.

    Safety has for long been a subject of public discussion and it will continue to be so for a long time to come.

    Only, a few weeks ago, the Director-General of International Air Transport Association (IATA), Mr Tony Tyler, raised concerns over the poor safety records of airlines in Africa, lamenting that the continent accounts for over 50 per cent of global air accident records.

    According to him, African countries need to raise the regulatory bar to improve air safety as failure to achieve this will confine the continent to the poor safety bracket.

    Some stakeholders are worried that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) may not have carried out its statutory oversight duties on the aircraft before it was released for the unfortunate flight.

    They argued that Associated Aviation has not been active in the sector since last year after the June Dana Air crash at Iju- Ishaga, a Lagos suburb.

    Shortly after that air tragedy, the airline (Associated Aviation)allegedly temporarily suspended its operations to overhaul its system.

    The airline, it was gathered, planned to get additional aircraft to boost its fleet, before re-launching its scheduled operations.

    Since then, the airline has been active on its scheduled operations, raising questions over how the NCAA reactivated the Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

    According to the Chief Operations Officer, Associated Aviation, Alhaji TaiwoRaji,  the airline has a fleet of 10 airplanes, six of which are serviceable.  He confirmed that the ill-fated aircraft was 23 years old, adding that the last maintenance on the aircraft was carried out on June 14, this year while it last flew on August 30.

    He said: “Flight 361 departed Lagos en routeAkure when it crashed. Of the 20 passengers that were on board, 13 have been confirmed dead, while there are seven survivors. Of the seven survivors, five of them are at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. One of them is at the Nigeria Air Force Hospital while the other survivor is at the Federal Medical Centre at Ebute Meta, (Lagos).”

    He said the airline had informed some victims’ family members, and said it has a valid insurance cover for the aircraft.

    The recent crash has also raised serious questions over the credibility of the re-certification of domestic airlines by NCAA.

    While the owners of the aircraft gave August 30, this year as the last date of flight before the aircraft crashed, the NCAA records gave August 22.

    This contradiction seems to paint the picture of a system that has no proper record keeping tradition.

    At a briefing in Lagos over the  weekend, the Acting Director-General of  NCAA , AlhajiAbdullahi  Adamu, said  the crashed plane was a 30-seater aircraft manufactured by Embraer S. A Brazil and registered in Nigeria on May 22, 2007.

    He said: “The airline holds a subsisting air operators certificate and conducts only charter operations. The aircraft had a certificate of airworthiness (valid) till October 22, 2013. Our records show that the airline has an insurance policy valid until June 14, 2014.

    “Before the ill- fated flight, the airline last operated the EMB 120 Extended Range aircraft with registration number 5N- BJY aircraft in a charter flight on August 22, 2013. The aircraft was certified fit for flight by Ibie of the airline’s aircraft maintenance engineers prior to departure, who was also on board the ill-fated flight.

    “The AIB (Accident Investigation Bureau) has since launched an investigation into the cause of the crash; we await the report of the investigation.”

    But experts are worried that the NCAA may not have given all the information at its disposal concerning the flight and other details about the crew.

    Rather than opening up, the regulatory body urged people seeking information about the aircraft and the accident to liaise with the AIB.

    Speaking on the accident, an aircraft engineer, Sheri Kyari, cautioned players to refrain from making rash comments that could jeopardise the probe.

    He said it was wrong for people to say that the airspace is not safe because of the mishap, adding that since the black box has been recovered, the AIB would be able to decode the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder to unravel the cause of the crash in its preliminary investigations.

    Kyari further affirmed that Nigeria should be isolated from the poor safety records associated with the continent, attributing the poor safety records in Africa to airworthiness and penchant for cutting corners by some operators.

    He said as much as routine maintenance is carried out on an aircraft, it is safe to operate, regardless of its age.

    He urged operators to carry out regular storage maintenance of the aircraft, when it has not flown for sometime.

    He said: “You have to carry out routine inspections to ensure that some components of the aircraft have not expired. This also involves storage maintenance of the aircraft. Even when the aircraft is not flying, regular maintenance must be carried out to ensure complete airworthiness.”

    A former pilot with the defunct Nigeria Airways, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it is too early to guess the cause of the crash.

    He said it is wrong to link the age of the aircraft with the accident as studies have shown that age has nothing to do with the safety of an aircraft.

    He urged relevant aviation authorities to expedite action on the investigations into the crash, adding that the government should not be in a hurry to take any decision that could affect the survival of airlines.

    On insinuation that the aircraft lost an engine shortly after take-off, he said it was not true because the pilot would have noticed that before take-off and aborted the flight. “The pilot would have noticed this at the point of take off, and all he needed to do was to have aborted the take off. This is easier to do at the point of take off,” he said.

    Experts have urged the government to beam its searchlight on charter operations of airlines. They said their operations should also be subjected to scrutiny just as it is done for scheduled operations.

    They insisted that the NCAA should immediately conclude its technical audit of domestic airlines to enable it to clean up the system.

    They called for the overhaul of the technical units in the regulatory body to enable it to engage the right professionals in departments, such as airworthiness, standards and licensing inspectorate.

    A few months ago, some stakeholders raised questions about the rationale for the issuance of AOC to some airlines when NCAA did not have a substantive director- general.

    But the Director of Airworthiness and Standards, Benedict Adeyileka, faulted such claims, insisting that NCAA adhered to industry standards in the matter.

    The NCAA has insisted on adhering to high safety standard in the sector irrespective of the situation on ground.

    The authority also laid to rest the condemnation of some controversial AOCs it issued to some new airlines during the period it had no substantive director-general.

    Adeyileka said aside the fact that all the AOCs issued during the period in question met all the required safety standards and regulations, the absence of a substantive Director-General for about three months does not mean that activities should be grounded.

    Adeyileka said:  ”The different offices in NCAA will continue to function even in the absence of their directors. For instance, if the Director of Licensing is on holiday, does it mean we should shut the office and no licence would be issued until he comes back? Is that what we are asking for?

    “The functions of Director-General, NCAA will continue to run with a substantive DG or with an Acting DG. Is it proper to shut the office because a new DG has not resumed? We should be constructive and we don’t run aviation in such a manner. Do you think it is proper to stop all activities of the authority because a new DG has not resumed?

    “Do you think you are being fair to those people who have spent time and lots of money? Everybody is talking about 50 hours of demonstration flights; you can do more or even less, depending on how you are able to convince the authority that you can carry out safety operations at all times. The 50 hours of demonstration flight does not give you the assurance of an AOC.”

    The President of Aviation Round Table (ART), Captain Dele Ore and the Assistant Secretary, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, and some key players in the sector had alleged that all the AOCs issued by the then Acting Director-General of the regulatory body, Mr Joyce Nkemakolam did not meet the safety standards.

    Ore and the others argued that the new AOCs did not meet the required safety standards as set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and NCAA. They warned the public against patronising such airlines.

    They tasked the Ministry of Aviation to direct the new Director-General, Captain FolayeleAkinkuotu, to do recertification, maintaining that any attempt to ignore this call might jeopardise the safety of the traveling public.

    A few months ago, Akinkuotu said the authority was carrying out technical and safety audit of airlines to ascertain their state of health.

    He said there would be changes in the sector as the NCAA will not allow violation of civil aviation regulations.

    According to him, his immediate priorities will be to cause radical change in the regulation of civil aviation in the country, adding that only radical changes in the way civil aviation is carried out would bring about sustainable progress for the industry. He said the goal of safety and security for air travel will be pursued vigorously to whip operators in line.

    He announced the introduction of a new directorate that would cater for the needs of corporate, charter, private jets as well as helicopters that is steadily growing in the industry.

    The DG said the directorate has become imperative in view of the safety and compliance issues arising from that arm of the industry, requiring radical steps to move the industry forward.

    He called for stakeholders’ input to move the industry forward affirming that the radical change that will be implemented in the sector may brew enmity by operators who are not taking issues of compliance seriously.

    IATA had stated that African Airlines recorded one accident for every 270,000 flights last year while the industry average was one accident for about five million flights.

    An aircraft engineer, Ajayi Adigun, agrees with IATA. He said scheduled flights are safer in developed world, adding that the airspace is still unsafe in Africa. He said over the years, progress had been made in Crew Resource Management (CRM) in the developed countries.

    Adigun explained that pilot error comes later in after something might have gone wrong with the airplane itself, adding that 12 per cent of major aircraft disasters involving Boeing aircraft were attributive to maintenance and inspection errors.

    He said: “Maintaining aircraft is a complex and demanding endeavour. It consists of numerous inter-related human and machine components. The complexity of such interface means that errors are likely to be introduced and ways to detect errors and deal with them are needed. The safety of the flying public is first and foremost dependent on the proper functioning of the aircraft and its components.

    “In any maintenance process, it is the ability of the maintenance personnel to work together that determines its success. The very nature of the industry is such that engineers and mechanics will often need to work together; therefore communication and team working skills are important.

    “Indeed, maintenance plays such a crucial role in flight safety that it is the responsibility of the aircraft owner or operators to ensure that they are properly maintained. In pursuance of the above, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States issued Advisory Circular 120-72, Maintenance Resource Management (MRM) Training in Sept 2000 and more recently an MRM Results Evaluation Calculator.”

    Adigun added that just like CMR, MRM emphasises a team approach to human error reduction using principles that seek to improve communications, situational awareness, problem solving, decision making and team work are crucial elements in ensuring safety.

    The consensus among experts is that more are still needed to be done to keep airspace safe for both domestic and international flight operations.

     

  • Group seeks auto tyre safety

    “The fact that you did not find your tyre flat where you last parked your vehicle does not mean that any of the tyres are not leaking or at the expected level gauge they should be,” said President of Automobile and Road Safety Initiative, Mr Samuel Oloyede Oriowo

    This statement, made during the Auto Tyre Safety Day held week penultimate, captures the insignificant of tyres as some motorists assumed them to be, and had led to fatal vehicle crashes in which lives of prominent and promising Nigerians have been terminated.

    The recent estimate suggests that out of 3,680 accidents recorded in this clime for the last three years; about 2,500 of them are caused by tyre bursts.

    In his welcome address, Oloyede said “the history of automobiles that can be traced to the early 1770s when many people tried to make cars that would run on steam. But beginning in the 1880s, investors tried very hard to make cars that would run well enough to use every day”.

    According to him, “the efforts of the first tyre makers such as Charles Goodyear, John Dunlop, Andre’ Michelin and Phillip Strauss among others complimented that of the vehicle manufacturers who improved on their inventions to make vehicles larger and more powerful to transport goods and passengers.

    “It was observed that in any gathering where auto tyres are discussed, the inventory effort of Charles Goodyear who invented vulcanized rubber in 1844 which was later used for the first tyres should be duly commended.”

    Oloyede spoke extensively on the aims of the Initiative: “We at Automobiles and Road Safety Initiative have resolved to arrest the menace of sub-standard, Second-hand (Tokunbo) tyres in Nigeria. But we can’t do it alone which is one of the reasons we have called you up here today to join us in adding your voice to the crusade to reduce vehicle crashes that happen due to conditions of the vehicle, a reasonable percentage which has to do with the state and conditions of the vehicle’s tyre,” Oloyede said.

    He further assured to enlarge the scope of this event for the betterment of the sector and the motoring Nigerians from the beginning of the year 2014.

    The president also noted that in subsequent editions of the annual event, the Automobiles And Road Safety Initiative will start conferring Award Of Excellence on tyre manufacturers; their representatives and dealers that meet expected High Quality standard for usage in Nigeria.

    “Kudos to the outgoing Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, newly promoted Assistance Corps Marshall Nseobong Charles Akpabio for successfully manning the state with the highest volume of traffic in the country.

    “The effort of the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu and his performing team including other distinguished guess was commended for the wonderful jobs they have been doing to rid the country of used, fake tyres.”

    In conclusion of the speech, the president urged the general citizens of Nigeria to play their part dutifully to see the end to the production and, or importation and usage of used, sub-standard, Tokunbo tyres.

  • Enhance safety of migrant workers, ILO chief urges

    Enhance safety of migrant workers, ILO chief urges

    The Director-General, International Labour Oganisation (ILO) Guy Ryder has called member-states to step up their efforts to provide pre-departure information and training, regulate and monitor the enforcement of fair recruitment practices.

    He spoke while presenting a keynote address on youth migration and development at an event to International Youth Day

    He urged governments to ensure that their young migrants have access to adequate protection as part of the practical steps to be taken to enhance the safety of all migrant workers in the world

    He said: “Practical steps can be taken to enhance the safety of migrant workers and respect for their rights and dignity.

    “Countries of origin can step up their efforts to provide pre-departure information and training, regulate and monitor the enforcement of fair recruitment practices and ensure that their young migrants have access to adequate protection”

    According to the ILO boss, each year, many young women and men migrate in search of decent work and better living conditions.

    “This is a reality of our globalised economy. Differentiated demographic and income trends are adding to migratory dynamics and on the present course, the pressures will become even stronger”, he said.

    “It is on record that young migrants make up 27 million of the overall 214 million international migrants, but being the most mobile social group, young people constitute the bulk of annual migration movements. They largely move from one developing country to another, with South-to-North migration representing only a third of total international migration”, he said.

    “Today we acknowledge the positive contribution that millions of committed, talented and energetic young migrants make to development and the wellbeing of entire families and communities. When youth migration takes place in conditions of freedom, dignity, equity and security, it can boost economic and social development both of countries of origin and destination”, he said.

    “Unfortunately, many young migrants are easy prey and frequently get trapped in exploitative and abusive jobs, including forced labour. And too often, they, like other migrants become scapegoats for the shortcomings of economic and social systems,”he added.

    Ryder, who emphasised that the United Nations General Assembly High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development taking place in October, this year, is an important opportunity to advance towards a framework which can uphold the rights and interests of young migrant workers, however, said: “Let us never lose sight of the young women and men at the heart of the migration process.”

    “We must assume the collective responsibility of ensuring their safety and protection. Let us join forces to maximise the development benefits of youth labour migration while striving for balanced development that broadens the options for all,”he added.

  • Recovered human heads: Hotelier’s wife fear for hubby’s safety

    MRS Nkiru Mokwe, wife of Chief Bonaventure Mokwe, the proprietor of Upper Class Hotel, Onitsha, demolished over the weekend by Governor Peter Obi-led government for allegedly harbouring two fresh human heads, yesterday expressed concern over the safety of her husband.

    Speaking to newsmen, Mrs Mokwe, a lawyer appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President, David Mark to intervene and ensure her husband is not murdered extra-judiciously.

    Mrs. Mokwe who insisted on her husband’s innocence said he was set up by the police.

    ‘’My husband was arrested and detained at Central Police Squad, Onitsha, and when the commissioner of police was petitioned he was moved to Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Awkuzu. My husband is being detained in a very dehumanising condition at SARS Awkuzu, and the police have denied him access to his lawyer and relations.

    ‘’My husband’s hotel at No 8 Old Market Road, Onitsha, which he inherited from his father Chief G.C Mokwe have been demolished.’’

    She also alleged that the government threatened to demolish his plaza at Ose-Okwodu and other properties belonging to him and his family and confiscate all his assets.

    Miffed by what she described as orchestrated plans in some quarters to apply extra-judicial measures against his husband, the distraught Mrs. Mokwe appealed for intervention of the presidency and the senate to stop the mob from applying jungle justice on his husband.

    She further alleged that the masterminds of her husband’s arrest got approval of their petition and arranged and smuggled in two rusty objects which the police claimed were human skulls and arms in one of the commercial rooms in the hotel on or before the arrival of the police.

  • Lagos steps up safety awareness with posters

    Lagos State government yesterday launched safety signs and posters, charging workers to ensure strict enforcement of regulations in their offices.

    At a ceremony attended by top officials including the Head of Service, Mr Adesegun Ogunlewe; Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties, Dr Aderemi Desalu, and the Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mrs Dominga Odebunmi, among others. The government said the initiative was another sign of its commitment to safety.

    Unveiling the signages, Ahmed said: “There is need to address our collective attitude to safety. This is what I believe the commission set out to address. With time, this bad attitude will stop and people will begin to see the values of safety and willingly comply.”

    He observed that there are so many safety breaches even within the government secretariat. He challenged safety champions already nominated and trained to be alive to their responsibilities by ensuring that safety messages depicted by the signs are strictly adhered to in their various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDAs).

    He disclosed that the flag-off of the signages at the secretariat is to send the signal that government is determined to ensure total compliance to globally accepted safety standards all over the state.

    Ogunlewe said the introduction would further spread the safety campaign, saying the state was the first to create the safety commission.

    Besides describing it as part of present administration’s commitment to preserving lives, Ogunlewe said government decided to look inwards with a view to internalising and adopting the best safety practices in all its ministries and departments.

    Ogunlewe, who praised the Odebunmi-led team for good campaigns, pledged the total commitment of the state’s workforce to the safety campaigns.

    “These signs will be mounted in conspicuous places in all our various offices, and everything will be done to ensure that every worker in the secretariat becomes a safety vanguard,” he said.

    Among other various signs unveiled by the commission are; the emergency exits, fire alerts and exits, first aiders, assembly point, disabled persons exits, as well as the red, blue, green and yellow signs.

  • Army chief assures non-indigenes of safety

    CHIEF of Army Staff (COAS) Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika was yesterday in Onitsha. His mission was to assure resident-settlers in the Southeast of safety and allay the fears of non-indigenes.

    The General said there would be no reprisals over the bomb attack on Sabon-Gari bus station in Kano, Kano State.

    The COAS urged community leaders to prevail on the people to remain calm.

    Lt-Gen. Ihejirika, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Div, Nigeria Army, Enugu, Maj- Gen Adebayo Olaniyi, toured the Onitsha Main Market and the Head Bridge Market as well as the Arewa Park, among other markets on foot for over three hours.

    He held talks with the various market leaders and traders on the need to maintain the peace and shun inducements for a reprisal.

    Commending the maturity of Ndigbo in handling the situation, he thanked Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and leaders (religious and community) for their proactive measures to ensure the threat for a reprisal was nipped in the bud.

    Gen. Ihejrirka, who later addressed a stakeholders meeting at the Officers’ Mess, 302 Artillery Regiment of the Nigeria Army, Onitsha, said that reprisal attacks could never solve the security challenges facing the country.

    He said: “Let me also state categorically that the insinuation of a possible reprisal attack is unfounded as it exists only in the imagination of some unpatriotic elements desperate to cause tension.

    “I am, however, aware that a few non-indigenes, resident in Onitsha, have out of perceived fear, moved away from their abode to other areas for safety.

    “There is no report of any form of attack to warrant these movements. Since yesterday when the report was received, troops of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have mounted patrols to monitor the situation in major towns and flash points across the Southeast.

    “I can, therefore conveniently inform you all that there is no tension of any sort and citizens, including non-indigenes, should go about their businesses without fear.’’

    He sued for peace across the Southeast, especially in the commercial city of Onitsha, assuring that the army was on top of the security challenges.

    Gen. Ihejirika addedthat Sunday’s bomb attack in the ancient city of Kano was unfortunate and needed serious maturity to handle.

  • Concerns over safety as crisis hits airlines

    Concerns over safety as crisis hits airlines

    The suspension of the licence of Dana Air for the second time in nine months has raised fresh concerns over safety in the airspace.

    The licence of Dana, which returned to business in December, last year, after a six-month lay-off, was withdrawn on Saturday because of a fault with one of its planes.

    The plane was to leave for Lagos when it developed battery problem.

    The Ministry of Aviation is investigating what led to the Mc Donnel Douglas 83 aircraft battery fault for not being fully charged before its take off. Amid the probe, some industry watchers said there is need to re-examine the Dana’s books before it is allowed to return to operation.

    It is believed that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) hurriedly re-issued an air operator certficate to the airline last year, despite a huge public outcry.

    To stakeholders, the Ministry of Aviation and NCAA must carry out an overhaul of the industry to set things right.

    Acting General Secretary of the Nation Union of Air Transport Employees( NUATE) Comrade Motajo Abdulkareem said it was time NCAA and its new leadership undertook overhaul of airlines to ascertain their health, adding that the grounding of Aero and Dana could create pressure for the operators, which may not be able meet passengers’ needs.

    The timing of the crisis, he said, may cause anxiety among passengers.

    Motajo urged the Aviation and NCAA to convoke a stakeholders’ forum on the industry’s challenges.

    Acting General Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria ( ATSSSAN), Comrade Olayinka Abioye, sought autonomy for NCAA, adding that the Executive should be stopped from ‘’unduly’’ interferring in the industry in line with global best practices.

    Last year, the Technical and Administrative Review Panel set up by the Federal Government to investigate the Dana June 3, last year crash, gave a damning verdict on the airline’s maintenance record.

    The committee headed by Group Captain John Obakpolor (rtd), stated that airline’s technical log book did not confirm with standards.

    The committee observed that in many instances, NCAA inspectors, blamed the lapses on insufficient manpower and training, urging the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the aviation sector.

    The stakeholders are calling on NCAA’s Director-General designate Captain Fola Akinkuotu to tackle the challenges facing the sector. He was a staff member of the Nigeria Airways Limited where he worked for five years as an aircraft engineer before he was deployed as duty engineer to the Presidential Fleet.

    Later, he proceeded to the United States to train as a commercial pilot and flight engineer.

    Upon graduation, he worked as chief pilot at the ADC Airlines, former managing director, IRS Airlines and technical pilot, training and director, Flight Operations in former Virgin Nigeria Airways. He is expected to bring his vast experience to his job if he is eventually confirmed by the Senate.

    Stakeholders in the industry are anxious that Captain Akinkuoto’s experience would see him through the rigorous task of regulating civil aviation in Nigeria.

    Last year, the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation recommended the revocation of the air operators’ certificate of Dana Air. The committee also recommended that the MD 83 aircraft type flown by Dana should be phased out, as the NCAA has no certified engineer to handle such planes.

    The committee also recommended 15 years as age limit for passenger aircraft and 20 for cargo planes.

    The recommendations sparked a row. NCAA claimed that the MD 83 aircraft was still flown by many airlines in other countries.

    The NCAA listed the countries still operating the aircraft to include: Afghanistan, Argentina, Congo, Denmark, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine and the United States.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Vocational trade as safety net

    Vocational trade as safety net

    With the army of unemployed rising, the government is constrained to provide employment to ensure a stable polity. But since the government alone cannot solve this problem, management experts believe that there is a way out in self-employment. The vocational field, they say, can provide millions of jobs, if the unemployed are ready to try it. AKINOLA AJIBADE reports.

     

    How can the unemployment challenge be best tackled? Many have proffered various ways of addressing the problem, but one appears to stand out because of its practicability – self-employment. But how do those interested in self-employment get the start-up capital? The proponents of self-employment believe that the capital hurdle can be claimed with ease. They submit that opportunities abound in vocational fields, such as tailoring, barbing, hairdressing, carpentry, catering, crafts making.

    In developed countries, such as Germany and China, emphasis is placed on vocational jobs. The sector has created jobs for millions and also contributed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Nigeria toed that path by establishing the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). Through NDE, the government has been empowered Nigerians to be job creatprs.

    NDE Director-General Mr Abubakar Muhammed said vocational job is the way to go in Nigeria, considering the high rate of unemployment.

    He said millions of Nigerians have acquired skills to create job since the scheme started decades ago, urging the unemployed to also tap into the scheme. The informal sector would record growth when the country creates enough jobs. He said the entrepreneurs would increase productivity, and boost the country’s GDP.

    To some experts, since white collar jobs are hard to come by, the unemployed should embrace self-employment.

    The Chief Executive Officer, Okibx Nigeria Limited, Dr Okey Ibekwe, said there is no limit to the number of jobs people can create in the country. Okibx is a consulting firm which specialise in manpower development and jobs creation.

    He said there are ideas that can be developed to reduce unemployment. Citing Germany, United States and China, among others, Ibekwe said vocational jobs have helped in developing those countries. He said economy gets better when people are more productive, advising people to create jobs through vocational means. He said certain processes must be followed when creating vocational jobs, noting that they are sequential in nature.

    Ibekwe said: “People must discover their potential, have self-confidence, list their proposed occupations, choose the ones with high commercial values, get the required skills, and start working.”

    He said academic qualification is immaterial when its comes to vocational jobs, stressing that what is needed is the ability to do the jobs well.

    The human development expert said millions of such jobs can be created in Nigeria, once people are committed.

    According to him, the tendency to earn a living through vocational jobs is high if people can do the right thing.

    “Findings have shown that the work rate of people that provide vocational services is high now. People are improving on their vocational skills, packaging themselves well, and getting good results. In Nigeria, many people are making more money from such jobs. People should try and acquire skills in area in which they are proficient if they want to survive. It is high time the unemployment faced the reality since white-collar jobs are not forthcoming. Though the beginning will be rough, the ability to succeed is needed,” he added.

    Also, the Managing Director, First Publishers Limited, Dr Dan Obidiegwu, said people should create jobs for themselves in Nigeria. Obidiegwu said unemployed can provide vocational services, irrespective of their backgrounds. He said cases abound where graduates veered into areas, such as furniture making, craft making, tailoring among others, to earn a living. He said this helps in providing value-added services, advising graduates to create jobs.

    He said: “Nigeria’s economic potential are huge. Being one of the biggest markets in the continent, people stand a better chance of creating vocational jobs.There are many organisations looking for people who can provide one form of vocational services or the other. This means that there is a huge market for anybody who is not lazy, committed and enterprising.”

    Obidiegwu, the former managing director, Longman Nigeria Plc, said companies do employ people that have vocational backgrounds to survive. He said the services of carpenters, tailors, and welders are required in foam making industries.

    “Job opportunities exist for people who have vocational experience. First, they are recruited by companies. Secondly, they can work on their own. There are cases whereby they do two or more jobs together. Globally, semi-skilled workers are needed to grow the economy. This makes their services important to individuals and organisations,” he said.

    He advised people against waiting for paid jobs, stressing that they need to conceive ideas and implement them to survive.

    A former member of staff of Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN), Mr Akinwunmi Dickson, said graduates should stop relying on their academic qualifications.

    He said when graduates learn a trade, they can set up their own business and make money.

    “In advertising, workers with vocational backgrounds do get jobs to do. Though their jobs are seasonal, they are well paid. This is in addition, to other jobs they are doing. They are better for it.”

    He said many have abandoned their professions for vocational jobs, because of certain values in them.

     

  • Nigeria assures investors of safety

    Nigeria assures investors of safety

    AMIDST colours and celebration, the 47th edition of the yearly international travel and tourism trade exhibition opened yesterday in Berlin, the capital city of Germany, with over 188 countries and hundreds of exhibitors, representatives of tourism organisations, tourism experts, different stakeholders and investors, in attendance at the fair ground (Messe Berlin) as the over 160, 000 square metres exhibition space was filled to capacity with different tourism destinations and latest products and services in the sector on display.

    Nigeria is one of the leading African countries attending the expo with its colourful stand at the African section of Hall 21 attracting early trade investors and exhibitors. The prevailing question by most of the early callers to the stand yesterday was how safe is Nigeria for investors and the tourists in view of the increasing killings and kidnappings in the northern part of the country.

    The Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe had a Heruclean task defending the country as he assured them of the safety and security of lives and property across the country, insisting that the Federal Government was atop the present security challenge facing the country.

    According to the DG, ‘‘there is no other country in the world as safe as Nigeria, as the security issue is only limited to a few states in the northern part of the country and the Federal Government is very serious and proactive in handling the situation,‘‘ even as he begged,‘‘Please, come to Nigeria; your investment is safe and your life too is safe. No one will harm any of the visitors and investors as this government is very serious about welcoming genuine investors and visitors to the country.”

    Furthermore, he gave a personal guarantee to the teeming visitors that the NTDC would look after their security and welfare whenever they visit the country.

    Nigeria, he said, is blessed with abundant resources, especially in the area of tourism, and that given the over 160 million population of the country, investors would have nothing to fear as they have readily available market for their products and services. For the visitors, he said they would have new experiences as they feast on the culture and natural beauty of the land besides the growing numbers of sophistical facilities in the hospitality sector.

    Runsewe also used the occasion to invite the visitors to Nigeria’s stand daily, as they would be treated to a lot of interesting and colourful products packaged specially for the expo.

    According to him, the Nigerian Day celebration, which is billed to hold today, is dedicated to celebrating the victory of the national team, the Super Eagles, even as he revealed that it would also be used to appreciate African countries which supported Nigeria during the just-concluded AFCON 2013 in South Africa where Nigeria emerged champions of Africa.

    ITB Berlin is a five day event organised by Messe Berlin for all serious minded tourism countries and related organisations to exhibit their destinations and meet with buyers and sellers of travels as well as the travelling public. The first three days of the expo are restricted to players in the industry while the last two days are opened to the travelling public. The event, which started yesterday with a formal opening ceremony on Tuesday evening would end on Sunday. Indonesia is the partner country for this year’s event.