FG orders full audit of Dana Air operations
Approves N114m for repairs of burnt Marina, Iddo bridges
The Federal Government has approved the full audit of Dana Air operations in the country, following the two different incidents that occurred at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and that of Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State.
FEC, March 7
The order was given on Wednesday by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Daily Times recalls that on February 8, passengers were aghast in fear when one of the emergency doors of the Dana Air aircraft conveying them fell off on landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Also another aircraft belonging to the same Dana Airline had on February 21, overshot the runway at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State.
The plane, which was flying in from Abuja, skidded off and went into the bush near the runway but no life was lost; all the passengers and crew disembarked to safety.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in its reaction said that the incident was as a result of the bad weather situation and torrential rain at the time of landing.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said, “A lot of quality time was spent discussing air safety. The government of Nigeria is very much concerned about safety and the life of Nigerians, this is following the recent air incidents minor as they were because they are no fatalities, the government did feel concern and the minister did the report to the council on steps that were taken following the last incident in Port Harcourt, Dana aircraft overshooting the runaway.
“As soon as that happened, a few seconds, a rescue team was there on the ground and few moments thereafter every passenger on board was evacuated, there was no harm to persons and this is something that should be celebrated.
“Within 24 hours an official investigation had commenced because investigators arrived in Port Harcourt and began work. One week after that a preliminary report was prepared and it was on this that the council was briefed.
“Consequently as announced by the aviation authorities, the engineer and Pilot of that particular aircraft got their licences both suspended and beyond that the government has ordered a complete audit of Dana airlines in terms of personnel, operations, technical capacity.”
Shehu also that said the Council also approved the augmentation of the contract sum for the rehabilitation of Burnt Marina Bridge and the Maintenance of Eko (Apongbon) and Iddo bridges in Lagos, in favour of Messrs Buildwell Plant and Equipment Industries Limited, in the sum of N114, 424,225.05 representing 12 percent of original contract sum, thereby revising the contract sum from N957, 053,316.45 to N1, 071, 29,541.40 with additional completion period of six months.
Council also approved augmentation for Mangu Dam, in Plateau State to N7.66 billion from original cost of N5.66 billion, thereby incresing the total contract sum to N13.2 billion.
The Minister of Niger Delta, Usani Usani, also briefed Council on the activities of his ministry.
Also, the Minister of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali, presented the status of the implementation of approved capital projects and achievements of the Ministry from 2015 to 2017.
