Senate on Tuesday summoned the
Minister of Transportation (Aviation), Alhaji Hadi Sirika, and other heads of
aviation industry to appear before it over fatalities at the nation’s airways.
The development followed a motion
sponsored by Senator Gbenga Ashafa (APC), Lagos East and 8 others, stating that
there was need to minimize the possibility of air accidents in Nigeria.
Ashafa expressed deep concerns
that Dana Airways overshot its runways at the Port Harcourt airport due to wet
surface of the runway on 20th February, 2018.
He further recalled that weeks
before the Dana incident, an emergency door of a plane conveying passengers to
Abuja on 7th January, 2018 fell off, noting that the situations was creating
panic among air users.
“Recall that just few weeks
before the event, there was also panic on Wednesday, 7th January, 2018, when
the emergency door of an aircraft conveying passengers to Abuja fell off upon
landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport in Abuja.”
Responding, Senator Chukwuka
Utazi (PDP) Enugu North Senatorial district said, “It became fearful at a time
because all recommendations from the 7th Senate was not implemented. Last time,
we closed all airports because we were working on the runways.”
James Manager representing Delta
South Senatorial district expressed worries over incessant air mishaps that led
to loss of prominent Nigerans.
“As a nation, we need to address
the aviation issues seriously and frontally too.”
“Mr. President, distinguished
colleagues, Some equipment that were supposed to be installed to make air
operations easy are being kept”, wondering what a country Nigeria is.
“I support the motion that this
issue should not be treated at the Committee level, but invited the Minister of
Aviation to appear before us.”
Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
called for decisive action, particularly as the issue had been treated in the
past without action.
“If necessary, we have to declare
state of emergency on aviation sector, because it is incomprehensible seeing a
door of a plane falling off. It is good to declare a state of emergency.”
Abdulfatah Buhari berated
Aviation officias for not doing their job, adding that the industry was getting
decayed day by day.
Senator Jibrin Barau on his part,
stated that it would lead to more disasters if nothing was done to salvage the
Aviation sector, adding that the sector has reached a worrisome situation.
Senator Mao Ohuabunwa explained
that most of worrisome issues were due to human failure rather than equipment
and machine failure.
Senator Sam Anyanwu identified
inconsistent government policies as responsible for fatalities, saying no
airline in Nigeria subjects its aircraft to annual routine checks.
“Mr. President, distinguished
colleagues, it is not just about aircraft maintenance, but government policies
and the only aircraft that goes for annual maintenance is the aero contractors
that have been taken over by AMCON now. Others do not, and government is not
doing anything.”
Anyanwu also canvassed for
government bailout in the Aviation sector, adding that the industry was capable of becoming the nation’s national
income.
Reacting, deputy Senate
President, Ike Ekweremadu explained that each person might have had experience,
hence it was important that the matter be urgently handled.
Senate also resolved that all the
aircraft in the country should be maintained with immediate effect.
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