Civil aviation watchdog, the Aviation Safety Roundtable Initiative (ART), has criticised Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over what the sentries described as “external interference” in the autonomy of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
In a statement on Thursday by the group’s General Secretary, Olumide Ohunayo, ART expressed disappointment with the actions of the minister in the suspension of Dana Airlines.
The group said it was wrong for the minister to direct the NCAA to suspend an airline. ART urged the Keyamo to respect the autonomy of the regulator.
“The suspension of the entire operations of Dana Airlines directed by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development runs against these principles and indicates a return to the ugly past that destroys confidence in the industry and by the global community on the principles of an autonomous industry regulator, representing a threat to safety, security in the sector generally.
“ART condemns the external interference demonstrated by the Minister’s directive which serves to erode the institutional autonomy and jeopardizes safety in the aviation sector. ART hereby reiterates its commitment to the non-negotiable autonomy of the NCAA as stated in Section 4 (3) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act.”
On Wednesday, Keyamo directed the the NCAA to suspend Dana Airlines, saying recent events of the local carrier raised serious concerns regarding both the safety and financial viability of their operations. The minister said the airline should remain suspended until the conduct of a comprehensive audit, a directive NCAA Director General Chris Najomo enforced immediately.
The suspension of Dana Air was enforced some 24 hours after one of the airlines’ planes skidded off the runway at Lagos airport.
ART said, “The conduct of financial audits of airlines lies exclusively with the NCAA. The decisions on what are appropriate sanctions for violations also lie with the NCAA exclusively.
“The ART hereby advises an immediate lifting of the suspension of the entire operation of Dana Airlines and demands an apology to the entire Aviation community for the actions from the HMA&A and the Ministry while the NCAA / NSIB investigation continues on the affected MD 82 aircraft or fleet and the company Dana, for which the NCAA is expected to carry on its role and met the appropriate actions.”
ART advised the minister to concentrate his efforts on policy issues that positively impact the airline industry.
ART also demands that other agencies be allowed to carry out their statutory obligations without interference, including the observed interferences.
