The Aviation Round Table Initiative and the Flight Dispatchers Association of Nigeria have disagreed with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the suspension of Dana Air following an incident involving one of its aircraft.
Dana Airline has been in the news since Tuesday after its
aircraft with registration number 5N BKI and 83 passengers onboard skidded on
the Lagos airport runway.
The airline, which was coming from Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport,
Abuja, had disembarked its passengers through the emergency exit of the
aircraft.
The airline was stuck in a bushy area close to the runway.
All passengers and crew members disembarked unhurt.
Angered by this development, the Minister of Aviation and
Aerospace Development, in a letter, ordered the suspension of the airline.
Upon the minister’s instruction, the Nigeria Civil Aviation
Authority, on Wednesday, effected the suspension.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary of ASRTI,
Olumide Ohunayo, the body of experts noted that the minister’s order for the
suspension of Dana was an interference with the autonomy of the NCAA.
ASRTI stated, “The suspension of the entire operations of
DANA Air directed by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development
runs against these principles and indicates a return to the ugly past that
destroys confidence in the industry and by the global community in the
principles of an autonomous industry regulator, representing a threat to
safety, security in the sector generally.
“We condemn the external interference demonstrated by the
minister’s directive, which serves to erode institutional autonomy and
jeopardises safety in the aviation sector. ART hereby reiterates its commitment
to the non-negotiable autonomy of the NCAA as stated in Section 4 (3) of the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Act The conduct of financial audits of airlines lies
exclusively with the NCAA. The decisions on what are appropriate sanctions for
violations also lie with the NCAA exclusively.”
The aviation group, however, called for the immediate
lifting of the suspension of the entire operation of Dana Air with “an
immediate apology to the entire aviation community for the actions from the
HMA&A and the ministry, while the NCAA/NSIB investigation continues on the
affected MD 82 aircraft or fleet”.
Also, the Flight Dispatchers Association of Nigeria stated
that instead of suspending the airline and summoning the pilot before a panel,
they should rather be applauded for professionalism.
FLIDAN stated, “The surprising thing was that the aviation
authorities made him face a panel rather than applaud his efforts. He was able
to prove that the simulated flights carried out by pilots to prove he could
have landed on the runway rather than on the Hudson took several tries but he
had only one trial.”
The association, which spoke through a statement signed by
its General Secretary, Victoria Adegbe, further faulted the action of the
minister.
It added, “This Dana Air should be commended. Ensuring the
Continued Airworthiness of an aircraft is the sole responsibility of the NCAA
and not the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace and as long as an airline (AOC
holder) can demonstrate that the aircraft is airworthy then it continues to
fly. Hence, suspending the entire operations of an AOC holder is quite
punitive.”
FLIDAN further submitted that the suspension of Dana
Airlines was done in haste.
“FLIDAN, therefore, submits that the suspension of Dana Air
Operations was too hasty, and punitive and should be reviewed promptly, and
just as Capt Sullenberger Won; we hope that Dana Air will be applauded for the
bravery of the crew and their suspension lifted.”
Responding while appearing on Channels Television, the
minister noted that he had acted within the dictates of his duties.
He added that complaints against the airline predate his
arrival in office.
While taking a swipe at his attackers over the suspension of
Dana, Keyamo stated that the problem with the aviation sector was that everyone
arrogated the power of an expert to themselves.
He stated, ”For me, the last thing I will want to happen to
me as the aviation minister is to have blood on my hands, the blood of innocent
Nigerians, as a result of either the negligence of deep complicity or
corruption on the part of those who are supposed to be the regulators of the
aviation sector.
“As a minister, my job is to supervise them and ensure that
they carry out their duties. So, those who are quoting the law should know that
I know the law more than they do.
“One of my first KPI is to ensure safety as well as ensuring
that the regulators also do their job. Even before I came into office, you must
have heard of consistent incidents involving Dana Airlines, to mention some of
them. You will remember that their plane was at a point approaching the runway
and the door flew open, the door of an aircraft flew open.
“There were also incidents after the crash that killed
Nigerians and I don’t want to keep deceiving Nigerians because I owe them a
duty to be truthful because it concerns their safety.”