Senate asks Minister to conduct airworthiness audit on all commercial aircraft

The Senate on Tuesday ordered the Minister of State for Transportation (Aviation), Hadi Sirika, to direct all relevant agencies in the Aviation Industry to immediately conduct a maintenance and airworthiness audit on all commercial aircraft operating within the Nigerian Airspace as well as the training of personnel operating within the industry.
This directive was given as the Senate summoned the Minister of State for Transportation (Aviation), heads of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Accident Investigation Bureau and every other relevant agency in the aviation industry to give a full briefing on the steps that have been taken to minimise human errors and avoid preventable air crashes.
A Dana Airlines airxraft with number 9J0363 hit the news waves recently when the aircraft overshot the runway upon landing at the Port Harcourt Airport International Airport on a flight from Abuja.
Leading a debate on the motion, Senator Gbenga Ashafa told the lawmakers that similar incident occurred on February 7, 2018 when the emergency door of an aircraft conveying passengers to Abuja fell off upon landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Ashafa stated that these recent occurrences might be a sign of a sequence of human errors, caused by the failure of officials and staff of the agencies saddled with the responsibility of guaranteeing safety to carry out their due diligence before issuing clearance for aircrafts to operate within the Nigerian airspace.
He said the report by the AIB has shown that major reasons for the loss of hundreds of lives in air crashes in Nigeria is as a result of avoidable human errors and dereliction of duty by public officials working in the aviation sector.
Speaking in support of the motion, former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, said the Aviation Ministry is the most regulated ministry in Nigeria.
Oduah added: “However, the responsibility lies mostly with the pilots.”
Senator Mao Ohuabunwa called for proper investigation into the matter, demanding for the suspension of Dana Airline.
Ohiabunwa said: “It’s important this is investigated properly. Dana Airline should be suspended and properly checked. I support this motion.”
Senator Aliyu Sabi called for declaration of state of emergency on the situation of the airports in the country.
The Minister is expected to appear in the Senate chamber although no date has been fixed for the briefing.
In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, recalled his experience when on board and the aircraft overshot the runway.