The FG said the best it could have done then was to isolate the particular aircraft involved in the crash and carry out the necessary investigations.
Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, gave the explanation on a Channels TV breakfast programme.
She was reacting to the strong condemnations from the family members of the victims of the crash, after the FG restored the airline's operating licence on Wednesday.
The FG had suspended Dana's licence on June 5, 2012, two days after its Abuja-Lagos flight 0992 crashed into residential and commercial buildings in Iju-Ishaga, on the outskirts of Lagos, killing 153 passengers and crew on board.
But on Wednesday, the FG lifted the suspension, saying it was satisfied with the air-worthiness of the airline after a rigorous technical, operational and financial audit.
The decision, however, attracted criticisms from those affected. The victims of the crash, claim that their agony has been worsened by the fact that the government restored the licence even when investigations into the crash are yet to be completed and the remains of some of the deceased are yet to be buried.
To them, Dana Air, which they accused of negligence, should not be allowed to fly any of its aircraft in the Nigerian airspace.
But Oduah explained on Friday that it was against best practices to ground an airline because of a crash.
She explained that what was allowed in the aviation sector was to segregate an aircraft and conduct an audit.
She said the decision to restore Dana's licence was taken with a sense of responsibility, adding, "a firm cannot be indicted until the results of investigation are released."
She said, "Rather than indict it (Dana), the result clearly showed that the airline is one of the best in the country today."
She, however, added that the lifting of the suspension did not translate to the fact that the airline would return to the air immediately.
She explained that the airline must still undergo the process of recertification.
She said, "There is no perfect firm or organisation and that is why we started with institutional reform starting from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
"Dana is not a perfect company by any means just like any other firm.
"Dana's manuals, log book and administrative policies are all in compliance with the NCAA rules and regulations. We're satisfied that thorough investigation was carried out and that was why we said they can go back to work."
When probed further, the minister said the government would not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions once the final result was released and the airline found culpable.
She said once completed, the report, being a public document, would be widely publicised for every concerned individual and group to access.
When asked to give an insight into the cause of the crash since she claimed the preliminary report was out, the minister said the remote cause was "very technical."
"I don't know the cause of the accident but I know what is not the cause. The accident was not due to NCAA's lack of responsibility and it was not due to Dana not doing what they ought to do," she explained.
Oduah added that despite the clean bill of health, the FG was still strengthening the NCAA to ensure it performed better.
The minister expressed surprise that relatives of some of the victims of the crash were yet to receive their compensation because she had held meetings with the airline and the insurance firm on the issue.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, has said that organised labour did not have anything against the restoration of Dana's licence.
He said there was nothing wrong if the decision was based on the findings by engineers and technicians, who found the aircraft airworthy.
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Fuck it. She's saying bulshit
ReplyDeleteAll the plane belonging to Dana and other air lines need to undergo suitability test periodically.
ReplyDeleteFG did no wrong! It is a pity anyway, but I don't see myself flying Dana airPlane soon!mary
ReplyDeleteLet the appropriate authority do the right thing by carrying out thorough examinations on our aircrafts and not only Dana.
ReplyDeleteYes thorough analysis to all airline its Dana today it maybe another,its time FG live upto expectation
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the past, ABC airline crash, Sosoliso Crash and others, no body is perfect
ReplyDeleteMADDAM MINISTER THERE IS SOMETHING WE CALL SAFETY AUDIT AND QUALITY MANAGMENT SYSTEM FROM MY OWN PRIMINARY FINDINGS , I CAN SAY T6HAT MOST OF THE AIR LINE FLYING IN NIGERIA ARE GOING TO FAIL SAFETY AUDIT REPORT,CAUSE OF THE AGE AND MENTAINACE SHEDULE AND PLAIN ,SO I CAN SAY CATEGORICALLY THAT MOST OF OUR LINES SHOULD BE MADE TO GO THROUGH THOROUGH AND SINCERE AUDITING, BUT ACCORDING TO Q.M.S THEY ARE ALL NON COMPLIANT, AND MOSTLY NOT COMFORMING TO INTERNATIONATION CODE OF PRACTISE, IF I WERE , I WILL CALL FOR A COMPLETE AUDIT , BOTH SAFETY AND QUALITY MGT AUDIT AND DICIPLINE THOSE EARING AIRLINE THAT REFUSE I FOLLOW DUE PROCESS RATHER THAN SIT DOWN THERE AND BE PLAYING JAMES BOND.
ReplyDeleteHABA MADARM DO SAFETY AUDIT AND QMS AUDIT AND BE SINCERE INSTEAD OF PLAYING TO THE CALLERY DONT FORGET NIGERIA IS IN THE LORDS HAND AND WE DONT KNOW WHOSE TURN MIGHT BE DO IT RIGHT WHEN YOU ARE THERE AND DON"T LET MONEY COVER YOUR FACE O
ReplyDeletebe sincere madarm do an audit first and check how the air lines are faring
ReplyDeleteminister!!! haba, what have they placed at your banquent? Please do d right thing and dont let anything cloud your sense of judgment.
ReplyDelete