Aviation expert faults senators over call for Dana air audit

The Managing Director/CEO of Afri Jet Airlines, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur has stated that the recent calls by the Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that Dana Air in particular should be audited because of incidences associated with the airlines lately calls for reflection on the industry.

Alhaji Tukur who spoke to journalists at the weekend warned that aviation industry should not be politicized.

Tukur who is also a former deputy Secretary General of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) pointed out that airline businesses all over the world and its regulations are the same and never have we heard that Law makers anywhere calls for audit of an airline even on the event of the worst crash like the Malaysian air disaster that happened four years ago.

He therefore, stated that as an industry stakeholder, his concern is that we should not at this time create unnecessary panic for ourselves more so now the economy is gradually picking up, coupled with the fact that the upcoming Airport Council International (ACI), Conference billed for next month in Nigeria is around the corner.

According to the airline operator, when you single one particular airline for audit, especially when such call is not coming from the professionals, you create fear on the minds of the public especially the airline passengers.

“” Incidence and accidents are associated with aviation business which of course nobody prays for, but when it occurs, the relevant agencies steps in to forestall a re-occurrence. But when you undermine the responsibility of these agencies of government and go ahead to give directive without proper consultations, the result of such order maybe counterproductive. The only way to avoid such situation is to allow the relevant government agency, saddled with this responsibility to do its job, that way, panic will not be created in the system as we have it today”.

While lamenting that the call for Dana audit has not only sent bad signals in the system but has equally posited us as a people who are not really in tone with the dynamism in the aviation industry given the fact that the industry does not have local content.

He recalled that some airlines has also had problems in recent times and that, there is need for the airlines to also go through the rigors of audit.

Tukur reminded that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA) was created by the Civil Aviation Act of 2006 which gave it autonomy and power to regulate the activities of airlines in the country. He therefore, argued that for the fact that Nigeria passed the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit and being a category one status nation means that, the system is working.

Commending the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, Tukur noted that if it were in the past this kind of calls by Senators could have led to withdrawal of licenses of some airlines, stressing that that is why stakeholders have always clamored that a core professional should be appointed in the aviation ministry.

“Audit of an airline should not be celebrated on the front pages of newspapers. What I rather, think should be applauded is safety compliance of an airline, that way, the industry grows. Audit of an airline to determine its serviceability is solely the work of the Regulatory Authority, which NCAA in our own clime represents. And again, the call for audit should apply to all airlines and not only Dana”, he said.

Tukur therefore, urged the NCAA as a regulatory body, agency of the government to continue to play its statutory role to avoid painting a particular airline in bad light by those who knows little about aviation.

He equally warned that when an airline closes shop, what follows is job loss, adding that Nigeria does not need reactionary measures but instead corrective measures in all sectors including aviation industry.