Ime Akpan
The commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N), Mr. Akin Olateru has said that Nigeria has had the best aviation safety record in the world in the last six years because the agency and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are on top of their game.
Olateru made the declaration in an interview during the 26 annual League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) held in Lagos recently.
He said the country lost three lives to helicopter accident in the last six years.
“I don’t know how many countries in the world that can boast of such a record. How did that happen? It is not by luck or accident. It is because the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is doing their job and the Accident Investigation Bureau doing their job, investigating incidents and issuing the right safety recommendations to prevent recurrence and at the end of the day, it is about everyone doing what they are supposed to do,” he said.
Olateru further said the agency’s safety recommendations after releasing accident and incidents reports have been adhered to by the NCAA and others to whom they are meant for.
“Most of the safety recommendations that we have come up with after we release our reports have been implemented.
“Those issued to the aircraft manufacturer have been implemented, some to the regulator and some to the airport and some to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and some to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
“We have a system in place where we follow up and we have worked with the NCAA where we monitor those safety recommendations,” he added.
The commissioner further disclosed that the agency was investigation some serious aircraft incidents which he said would be released soon.
He also said the domestic carriers were safe despite the challenges of getting aviation fuel and foreign exchange.
“All the airlines in Nigeria are safe. I know that there are challenges right now like the challenges of aviation fuel, foreign exchange and others. It is something that the government is doing something about.
“The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and the minister met recently to discuss the way forward and it is something that the government is doing something about. I believe that with time, those challenges will be gone,” he said.
On the proposed wet lease for takeoff of the proposed Nigeria Air, Olateru said: “The more aircraft, the more jobs are created because you would need the ground handling companies to manage it. I am also sure that some of the cabin crew members would be Nigerians. Moreover, this is a temporary arrangement; it is not going to be permanent.”
On his agency’s scorecard, Olateru said: “We are constantly doing what we do. In terms of human capital, we are constantly training and re-training and in terms of equipment, we are constantly updating and adding more.
“In terms of infrastructure, before the end of this year, AIB will commission the first accident investigation training school in Africa which would be located in Abuja. So, there are lots of programmes going on right now that would come up very soon.”
