Jonathan, Dana Air Pledge Safety @ Remembrance of Crash Victims

Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s President has pledged to ensure a new regime of aviation safety in the country, even as the country commemorates a year of one of its worst civil aviation accidents in decades following the crash of a Dana airliner that killed all 159 passengers and crew aboard on June 3, 2012.

President Jonathan who unveiled a Cenotaph in memory of the crash victims at Abuja airport on Monday said the government was ready to implement stricter aviation rules.

“Let me reiterate our resolve to maintain maximum vigilance to safety regulations of our aviation industry,” said President Jonathan.

Meanwhile, the airline which has come under barrage of criticism in its handling of post crash compensation to victims relatives said Monday it had made complete payment to 23 families.

Mr. Jackie Hathiramani, managing director, Dana Air, said each of the 23 families had  been paid full compensation of $100,000.

Hathiramani disclosed this to journalists in Lagos, shortly after a solemn procession to mark the first anniversary of the crash of its MD83 aircraft flight 9J 992.

The aircraft flying to Lagos from Abuja, killed about 159 people on June 3, 2012, at Iju Ishaga, (a Lagos suburb) where it crashed into a residential building.

The procession took off from the domestic terminal 2 and terminated at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) headquarters within the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

Hathiramani said that the delay in paying full compensation to many families of the deceased was caused by incomplete documentation by some, in-fighting among family members and also multiple-documentation.

While  expressing the Dana airlines’ sympathy to the families of the victims of the crash, the managing director prayed for such accidents not be repeated.

“We are praying that God should not allow accident to happen again in the sector,” said Hathiramani.

Joyce Nkemakolam, acting director general of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said shortly after the procession that the regulatory agency appreciated the effort made by Dana Air to remember the victims of the crash.

He noted that the NCAA sympathised with the families of those who lost their lives, and prayed that such a calamity would not happen again.

He assured the airline that it should not hesitate to seek the regulatory body’s assistance, as NCAA‘s doors were opened 24 hours.