Dear Editor Deba Uwadiae,
Kindly convey the following information to Nigerians, The
Government, and Society at large.
Accident is an event that happens when and where it was
not planned for.
The cause of Air Accident can never and has never been
determined by speculations and emotional rancours.
International Standard best practice for investigating
air accident is properly documented. Nigeria’s adoption of these practices is
documented in Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 61 Vol. 93 of
November 2006 – Government Notice No. 45 – Titled Civil Aviation Act, 2006.
The Nigerian Accident Investigation Bureau – AIB – is the
agency to investigate air accidents. It is the AIB’s prerogative to seek
assistance from other Technical Institutions and persons worldwide for the
delivery of exhaustively investigated report. See civil aviation act 2006 Part
VII Section 29 sub paragraph 11 a, b, c, d.
Civil aviation act 2006 part V11 subject 29 sub paragraph
12 states that the sole objective of the investigation of accidents and serious
incidents shall be the prevention of accidents and incidents and it shall not
be for the purpose of apportioning blame or liability. But paragraph 11 (d)
says it can recommend withdrawal or suspension of license or cancellation. We
cannot shout CRUCIFY anybody until AIB finishes its job. The Nigerian Civil
Aviation Regulations 2006 prohibits reprisal punishment against any personnel
that comes forward to report incidences, errors, or actions that needs to be
investigated in order to place preventive and corrective measures on record.
Operators in the Industry are forced to document this as
their procedures. This means we investigate to prevent and correct and will
encourage people not to shy away from reporting incidences.
Part IV of Civil Aviation Act states that the Director
General shall be appointed for a term of 5 years in the first instance and may
be reappointed for a further term of 5 years and no more. The two term tenure
of the current DG expired in February 2012. The Presidency and the Ministry
extended his tenure and gave us the reason that we had not prepared a suitable
successor that will be acceptable by the International Community. Are we so
un-trainable or unacceptable? Now they choose to suspend the DG without
reference to the Civil Aviation Act Part IV, Sub paragraph 3 guiding the DG’s
suspension or removal from office. They should cite which of the 5 documented
reasons in that act his suspension was hinged upon. (I don’t think the DG is on suspension but gagged for now. Editor)
Sub paragraph IV subject 8 of Part IV states: The
Director General shall not be remove d from office except in accordance with
the provisions of this Civil Aviation Act.
The appointment of a Committee to report on the “health
of the airlines and the agencies” is the prerogative of the government. It
sounds to me like indictment of the Directorate of Economic Regulations of our
Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant departments who worked to secured
us FAA CAT1.
We will need the reports and records from the
investigation of this DANA Air accident to guide Operators in this industry
worldwide. There are MD – 80s Series still in operation in other countries.
We might fly them as we travel around. These Operators should
not be deprived proper documentation of what happened, how, and why?
Furthermore please let new carriers know that a Station
Manager or Pilot cannot release an aircraft to operate a flight.
A licensed Engineer rated on the specific aircraft type signs
out the specific aircraft to Flight Operations Department. The flight Operation
advises the Station Manager the specific aircraft to operate a particular
flight. As for the issue of flying unserviceable or faulty aircraft; we will
wait the Accident Investigation Bureau’s report.
Amos Akpan
Capital Airlines
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