Families of victims of the June 3, 2012, Dana aircraft crash, have urged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to publish safety audits conducted on all commercial airlines operating in the country.
This forms part of the goals of the fourth anniversary commemorating the loss of all 153 passengers on board the aircraft which crashed into residential buildings at Ishaga in Lagos State.
The Chairman of the victims’ families, Mr Paul Okwulehie, made the call at fourth anniversary of the Dana airline crash held on Wednesday in Abuja.
Okwulehie said that the affected families were making the call in order to avert similar air crashes.
He added the effort was to ensure that Nigerians did not experience any further loss of lives on account of such accident.
“We demand the release of the safety audits of all commercial aircraft flying in Nigeria and their level of implementation.
“There are several audits that have been conducted but they are just wasting in the shelves.
“So, we want those audit reports to be released to the Nigerian public, to enable them to decide if they want to fly or not to fly a particular airline.’’
He also advocated an urgent review of the panel saddled with the responsibility of verifying the competencies of foreign pilots before being recruited to fly in Nigeria.
Okwulehie demanded that the process for the selection of the panel be made open and transparent for Nigerians to understand the safety operations in the aviation industry.
“We want a review of the panel conducting background checks on foreign pilots recruited to fly in Nigeria.
“Don’t just go abroad and recruit anybody that says he is a pilot to come and fly in the Nigerian air space.
“The selection process for the panel as well as the selection process for the foreign pilots should be made open and transparent.
“The aviation industry is not a secret cult. So, we need to make aviation industry in Nigeria open and transparent.’’
Okwulehie also called for immediate release of the final report of the accident investigation report of the crash and prompt payment of all compensation to families of the victims.
He disclosed that the victims’ families had incorporated `Safer Skies Nigeria Foundation’ for the safety of passengers to prevent air crash in the Nigeria.
“Now, it is not about the lives we have lost, but the Nigerians we would gain through avoidance of needless and preventable plane crashes in our air space.
“We have a new opportunity; let’s take it. Let’s make aviation safe and pleasant in Nigeria as is obtainable in other parts of Africa and the world beyond.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony featured students from Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, whose Principal, Mrs Maria Okwulehie was among victims of the crash. (NAN)
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