The only memo for the meeting originated from President Jonathan. It was mainly on the crashes.
Almost 170 lives were lost in the Dana Air crash at Iju-Ishaga on the outskirts of Lagos and the Allied Air Limited crash in Accra , Ghana.
The meeting also coincided with the last day of the three-day national mourning declared on Sunday by the President. The mood at the meeting was a total reflection of a mourning nation as the President, Vice President Namadi Sambo and most of the ministers appeared in black dresses.
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The ministers sat glued to their seat for about two hours they waited for the meeting to begin. The meeting which usually kicks off at 10am, did not start until about 11.45am. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, had earlier drawn up a condolence visiting schedule for the ministers but the arrangement was upturned when the President joined the meeting. He asked him to lead the visit to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri’s house alongside other ministers from the six geo-political zones.She lost her husband to the crash.
The Special FEC was for the first time open to reporters, who sat through the session, which ended at 3 p.m.
The meeting started with the singing of the national anthem and the pledge. The second stanza of the national anthem was used as the opening prayer for the day. Then, a roll call of victims, one-minute silence, tributes, signing of national condolence register and the visits.
Three ministers - Edem Duke (Culture and Tourism Development), Senator Umar Idris (Transport) and Minister of State for Defence Olusola Obada, spoke on the ill-fated plane crash. Duke was ferried into another airline against his choice of Dana on arrival at the Abuja Airport.
Idris flew the same plane into Abuja from Lagos. Mrs Obada was waiting to board the same plane from Lagos to Abuja.
Aviation Minister Stella read the roll call of the victims. She reported the dual engine failure at 3.42 p.m. She also noted that rescuers reported immediately after crash.
The victims include 136 adults, five children, six infants and six crew members. The pilot was an American. The co-pilot was an Indian. Mrs Oduah also reported that an Allied Air cargo plane overshot the runway in Kotoka Airport in Ghana last Saturday.
The session became emotionally charged as the President asked the ministers to comment and make suggestions. The minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe advised the President to write a personal letter of condolences to all bereaved families that he cannot personally visit.
What the
ministers said:
•Minister of Health Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu: “It was a weekend of sorrow for Nigerians. Actions taken so far by Federal Government, Ministry, Lagos etc are all in good direction. Nigerians should remain calm and put their trust in God. Government will ensure victims don’t die in vain. Aviation sector is like medicine; safety cannot be taken for granted. Government will take proper action if any lapse is found during investigation. May God’s intervention heal our nation”.
•Minister of Interior Abba Moro described the incident as unfortunate. “God will grant President Jonathan the courage to weather the storm”. He commended rescue workers and assured that the panel’s recommendations will address many issues.
•Transport Minister Umar Idris: “There is destiny in everything. There is the hand of God in everything. Every man will taste death. Any time any one dies, his time has come. I used that same aircraft same day from Lagos and came to Abuja by 2pm. In the conduct of investigation, certain issues will be addressed to avoid recurrence.
•Works Minister Mike Onolememenen: “While we pray for the repose of the victims, it calls for retrospection. We ve experienced several crashes. The circumstances recur years after. It appears that the only motive for operators is economic at the detriment of lives of Nigerians. It is time to float a national airline. It may not be wholly owned by government; some people can subscribe to it. The lives of Nigerians are too precious to be left at the whims and caprices of businessmen whose main objective is to make profit.”
Mrs Ochepe praised Mrs Oduah for the measures taken so far. She drew attention to the need to look at work ethics to ensure seriousness in all that we do, stressing service to God and humanity and not personal gains. “Collectively, we should strengthen those we are doing well and jettison those we are doing wrongly and embrace best practices. The crowd at Ghana crash site was well conducted but not so in Nigeria. Rescue team had herculean task to reach the victims at the crash site. We have to reintensify our campaign of national reorientation. Personal letters of condolences should be written by you, Mr. President, to all bereaved families that cannot be visited. The problems in the country are too many. When certain things become too much, we have to draw closer to God. In addition to national mourning, there is need for three-day fasting and national prayer for God to be merciful and clear the cloud hovering on our nation. In the Bible, nations like Nineveh did it and God intervened and so did Queen Esther and God intervened and saved the Jews.”
•Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: “To the bereaved, we cannot replace their loved ones. But we can enhance safety so that our airspace will not become a place of carnage and loss of lives. We should also look at the financial and economic strength of the airlines to work towards consolidation.”
•Agric Minister Dr. Akunwunmi Adeshina: “We must take every measure to say never again. The number of economic operators not in aviation sector alone but in all sectors. Investigations are always conducted without implementation. This must not continue. A total overhaul of the aviation sector is necessary.
•Federal Capital Territory Minister Bala Mohammed: “Aviation sector has witnessed a lot of turnaround. We have a lot of gaps in terms of infrastructure, personnel etc. But still, we have done a lot. We have to make a lot of sacrifice, financially, to get equipment and training. Compensation and insurance should come quicker than before.”
•Petroleum Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke: “I watched the take off of the aircraft at the airport before I left Abuja. We saw the fire when we were landing and we asked ourselves what was causing the fire and was very sad on landing to hear that the plane had crashed. We lost five of our trusted hands. It is a turbulent time for Nigeria. Our prayers must be deeper because deep must call to deep. We must further tighten our delivery. We need to say that 20 years old plane can fly; they do all over the world. But we must ensure that engines are replaced when due. Punitive measures must be taken when we found out the cause must be fully implemented.”
Head of Service Isa Bello Sali described the incident as “tragic” as many professionals perished in the crash. “We join all Nigerians in mourning,” he said.
•Minister of Culture and Tourism Edem Duke was poetic in his speech. He spoke about the abrupt end of dreams, the innocent infants and capped it up philosophically, saying: “Infants who had no knowledge of the world, young adults with visions and ambitions, professionals who have contributed immensely all perished.A critical lesson to the living is that the future is not in our hands. Those who have the opportunity to serve this country must ensure love bond and know that every minute counts. I was lucky to be navigated around them and ushered into another flight which was not my preferred flight.”
•Mnister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide: “We can use it to show that we value every life and that we can transform Nigeria, especially the aviation. There should be no cover up. Ensure thorough job. Ensure all airlines, domestic and international, passenger and cargo, should be covered. International aviation experts should be included in the investigation.
•Minister of State Agric Bukar Tijani: “It’s a period of reflection. Our destinies are not in our palms. God decides when and how we return.”
*Minister of Women Affairs Hajia Zainab Maina said: “I have phobia for aircraft. I am always tensed when I enter aircraft. It is a national tragedy. We have been praying but we need to intensify our prayers. So many things have happened.”
•Minister of Niger Delta Godsday Orubebe : “75 per cent of plane crashes worldwide is attributed to human error and further to finance. A lot of money needed for equipment, capacity building etc. We need to create a framework to make funds available to the sector. It is another wake up call.”
•Minister of State (Trade and Investment) Dr. Samuel Orthum: It was a trial and setback. “Do not be distracted. It is important that we draw closer to God at this time. Nobody has its destiny on its hand. He qouted 2 Chronicles 7.14, saying we need healing and God can do that for us.”
•Minister of State for Education Wike: “I see the mood of people who are in pain and sorrow. Most trying period of this administration. It occurred at a time the transformation agenda is on course. Nigerians should be patient and await the outcome of the steps taken so far.”
•Minister of Communication Technology Mobola Johnson decried the insentive manner the use of communication gadgets were deployed. “A few hours after the incident, causes were speculated. A victim’s wife got to know about the crash through BB used to spread manifest. Nigerians should be responsible as we use the technology.”
•Minister of Labour and Productivity Emeka Wogu: “It is shocking and unbelievable; it is a total calamity. Children orphaned, family wiped out. I commend Nigerians who started rescue operations before agencies of government arrived. People found culpable should be dealt with. People should exercise duty of care.”
•Minister of State (Niger Delta) Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi: “Destiny can’t be changed. Prayers are necessary. We need to give the necessary support to the Aviation Minister to put an end to the incessant tragedy. Build more capacity in rescue work.”
•Minister of National Planning Shamsudeen Usman: “Investigate properly and take appropriate steps. We need to take certain steps ourselves. We can’t just say it is predestined. Issue of corporate governance and ethics of work of Indians have gotten to their country and they are also concerned. Nigeria is not being villified on this.”
•Minister of Education Prof. Rukiyyah Rufa’i said her Ministry lost six persons including the husband of the Mjnister of State 1 on Foreign Affairs, who were on national assignment. Those culpable should be punished to serve as a detterant to others, she said.
Vice President Namadi Sambo said the reports by the presidential committee would help in sanitising the industry. He prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed and fortitude for their love ones to bear the losses. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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iya yin mabaje ni iyin were, all the road accident that as been happening since all this years did you people do anything about it? it because you people travel by air that is why you came out in mass to fight it bastard fellows
ReplyDeleteDing Dong said:
ReplyDeleteI read the headline and my first thought was: "I'd rather swallow a gallon of yoyo bitters than read the whole news"
b*ttfkers!