The latent resident Pathogen is still there!
My apologies to those who have already read the full script.This was actually Published last year in a couple of papers. However,the problem remains to be addressed).
When safety comes last; After politics and short term economics(NASI)
Competition and constructive criticisms are definitely required to keep our helmsmen focused on the job they’re sworn to perform. Sometimes, in the critic’s voice of lies a wise note or a noble cause.
Our ministers of aviation have not only consistently under-performed, but are fond of making public statements that at best expose their ignorance and at worse, embarrass the entire nation.
This highly specialised industry requires Leaders who know their onions or will take advice from those who do.
The ministry has a press and legal unit as well as directorates expectedly manned by core professionals.
In times like these, it is expedient to have the directors of safety and technical policy as well as transport management close by, to guide the Minister’s public utterances. Recent comments credited to an Ex-Minister (Borishade on ADC 053) have been far from eloquent, legal or professional.
It has become a Hallmark for our ministers to make prejudicial comments over incidents and accidents ahead of preliminary reports from the AIPB (Accident Investigation & Prevention Bureau). The essence of an investigation is not to apportion blame but to determine the contributory factors and implement measures to forestall reoccurrence (refer to ICAO annex 13). Instead of making vitriolic statements our Hon. Minister should ponder on the above.
Most Nigerian aviation professionals domiciled abroad cringe with shame whenever our ministers make some unguarded public statements. Four out of five times it is a source of embarrassment when measured against the international norm. I recall a comment from an American colleague “what do you expect when Jesters are running the show?” I felt like exploding in rage, but I restrained myself and calmed down. After all he wasn’t too far off the mark.
A case in point is the unfortunate reaction of the former Minister to the incidents in Lagos and Jos on 11th & 12th June 2005. The pilots were immediately declared guilty of professional negligence and sentenced to 9 months suspension with further training required before commencing any flying duties. This was prelude to any hearing, or even a preliminary report from the AIPB.
NASI was the only voice to condemn that misdemeanor. Other memorable occasions include the Slok-gate affair, age 20 rule, discovery of over 70 illegal aerodromes, helipads and airstrips, promises of total radar coverage since 1998 to mention but a few.
In the case of ADC 053 it is heart warming to know that NAAPE has not just kept mute and the Widow of Late Capt. Atanda is crying blue murder. We are disappointed that the then head of the AIPB, Engineer Angus Azoka is neither calling the minister to order over his prejudicial reprehensive comments nor offering a preliminary report to substantiate the facts so far obtained. May we remind him; the AIPB is no longer under the office of the minister, but under the presidency. So have no fear of doing what is right.
Some unconfirmed sources insist that the crew of ADC 053 were able to transmit a distress call before impact. However the FDR and CVR should point us in the right direction as to the remote and immediate causative factors of the accident. Should the flight crew be exonerated of professional negligence, the Hon. Minister would have opened his high office to avoidable litigation. The point is, At times like this, silence is golden.
From an outsider’s point of view, Dr. Chikwe was able to cut the lard better than her two successors. She was ambitious and her tenure was trailed with a lot of controversy, but she set the tempo for a lot of exceptional activity that was unfortunately not maintained by her successors. She had great plans but was not able to harness the synergy required to make strong positive impact within her tenure. Her Achilles heel was, she could not draw the line between a firm manager and a dictator.
Have we learnt anything from past accidents?
The fundamental purpose of any accident investigation is to improve aviation safety by determining the causes of air accidents and serious incidents and making safety recommendations intended to prevent recurrence. It is not to apportion blame or liability.
If our aviation administrators will not implement the safety recommendations proffered after accident investigations, why waste our time and resources carrying out the investigations?
From April 10th 1948, Nigeria has recorded over 102 aircraft accidents. Though less than half of these were fatal, all would have been subjected to detailed investigations with an ensuing report. Every conclusive investigation has a section dedicated to safety recommendations. This details measures that the investigators belief should be effected in order to prevent re-occurrence of similar accidents.
The DHC-6 fatal accident of April 23Rd 1995 at Lagos airport was attributed to a weather phenomenon associated with thunderstorms known as windshear. The report recommended installation of a device “LLWAS” low level windshear alerting systems at our busiest airport. Ten years later, in his brief of May 2005 Mallam Yuguda claims to have installed the system. Our investigations prove that was false information. Dec 10th 2005, Sosoliso DC-9 crashes in Port Harcourt, contributory factor “windshear”. Last week Prof. Borishade is claiming ADC 053 was brought down by weather as well.
A detailed look at the civil aviation policy and the lofty achievements claimed by the four ministers of aviation (of the fourth republic) in their bi-annual media briefings bears no congruency to the realities on ground.
One wonders if they truly read the civil aviation policy statements and verify the contents of their speeches before going in front of the cameras. For a start they all claim inheriting an industry on the verge of collapse and within months, lay claims to achieving the same landmark achievements. Though they don’t deny the inherent corruption and lack of accountability within the system, they do nothing and offer no solutions for tackling it.
The house committees are supposed to be a check to the excesses of the ministry and the accountable managers, or are they too busy politicking to notice the discrepancies within the system?
The current structure has its flaws; the two major ones being addressed are the lack of an autonomous regulatory agency and an accident investigation and prevention bureau.
The cancer that will destroy any structure is still there; corruption thriving under an atmosphere that lacks probity, transparency and accountability.
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past”.
May the Souls of those who have paid the price of our negligence rest in peace, and may their Spirits forgive us?
Long live the people of Nigeria! Long live the Republic of Nigeria.
In memory of Jerry Agbeyebe who was brutally murdered 12th October 2004, in mysterious circumstances.
Pam D.R. – (Chair, NASI governing council)
Email: [email protected]+447774037263
Engr. Effanga. Offiong- (Deputy Executive Director)
Engr. Ajeye, Nuhu D.-NASI- USA(Contributing writer
Last edited by DRPAM007; 2nd Apr 2008 at 23:47.