Air Crash: CSAC Seek Unified Aircraft Operations Supervision

The Civil Society Aviation Coalition (CSAC) non-governmental coalition with focus on aviation safety, has joined the call on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to introduce a legal framework that will compel all aircraft and helicopters in use in country, whether military or civilian, to come under the supervisory and monitoring purview of the Ministry of Aviation.

In a statement endorsed jointly by Emmanuel Onwubiko, executive secretary, and Miss. Maimuna Al-Hassan, national publicity secretary, stated :"We are as deeply shocked as millions of patriots with the very unfortunate helicopter accident involving the Navy Augusta Helicopter which crashed in the creeks of Nembe-Okoroba Area of Bayelsa State killing one of the Nigeria's  governors- Mr. Patrick Yakowa and the immediate past National Security Adviser to the President, General Azazi who is vastly respected for achieving several milestones in his chosen profession.

‘’Sad as we are with this unfortunate development, we also want to use this mourning period to urge President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly to consider ways and means of introducing workable legal framework to make it compulsory that all aircraft including military helicopters are monitored to ensure the highest standards of maintenance and safety to fly within Nigerian airspace. Under the current dispensation, military and police helicopters operations are not monitored or supervised  by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and so it is impossible to expect officials of the Ministry to determine the safety status of any of these military helicopters."

The coalition noted that if such legal framework was put in place, it would enable  Nigeria maintain common National Aviation safety standards in compliance with global best practices and thereby save the country from the embarrassment  of incessant helicopter crashes.

The group recalled that only last year, the then Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr. John Haruna, in charge of operations was killed in a police helicopter crash in Jos, Plateau State.

Though the group said there were allegations that the ill-fated police helicopter was not properly maintained and serviced regularly as at when due.

CSAC while exonerating the Federal Ministry of Aviation of blame in the circumstances that led to the unfortunate weekend accident which claimed the lives the Kaduna State governor, Patrick Yakowa and former National Security, General Aziza stated that since military planes and/or helicopters do not directly fall directly under the purview of the Aviation Ministry.

The coalition said it was unthinkable to seek to lay the blame for that sad incident involving a Nigerian Navy Helicopter- NAVY AUGUSTA HELICOPTER on the doorsteps of the Federal Ministry of Aviation under the supervision of the Minister, Princess Stellah Adaeze-Oduah.

Federal ministry of Aviation it noted was in a better position to monitor and ensure that all planes and helicopters whether civilian or military flying within  the nation’s airspace were monitored by  qualified and professionally competent officials  the Nigerian Civil  Aviation Authority[NCAA].