What we are seeing is the effect of systemic diminishing of air safety /air travellers standard. Air accident is becoming part of history of the Nigerian Aviation. It is becoming an annual event now if we take into consideration, the fact that on June 3, 2012, the Dana MB 83 crashed at Iju-Ishaga, killing the 153 people on board and 10 people on the ground. The Aviation Safety Network (ASN) President, Harro Ranter described this as the worst air accident throughout the world in that year. In 2005 alone, there were 5 crashes with 453 deaths. From 2007-2012 there were 8 crashes including the cargo plane of Nigeria that crashed in Ghana.
Our infrastructures remain decay and our sky remains unsafe. Things are getting worse per day because of mediocrity, indifference, inefficiency, ineffectiveness and incompetence of those charged with the responsibilities of protecting our skies and air travellers. Yet the Minister in charge of Aviation said that Nigeria has the best aviation with the highest safety record in Africa. This is very unfortunate.
Does it mean she is not aware that mafia and cartels have hijacked the aviation industry, in Nigeria, cutting corners, covering up all sorts of wrong-doing? Does it mean that she does not know that these evil-doers have free-hand and are operating with careless abandon and impunity? Whose duty is it to keep the airline operators on their toes if not hers?
In order to put an end to these perennial problem of frequent air crashes, the whole aviation industry needs to be overhauled. This should start with the immediate removal of the the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, change all the parastatal chiefs and some of the officials and put measures in place to ensure that the air operators work according to the laid down rules.
BY: JOSEPH FAGBOLA
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