NCAA INTENSIFIES SURVEILLANCE OF AIRLINES OVER NEAR MISHAPS
NCAA INTENSIFIES SURVEILLANCE OF AIRLINES OVER NEAR MISHAPS
Capt. Muhtar Usman
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has intensified
surveillance of operating airlines in the country following recent spate of
near mishaps in the industry.
Specifically, the
apex regulatory body has deployed more inspectors to monitor activities of the
airlines, most especially at the ramp areas.
Director-General of
the NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, recently told reporters that the extra measure
was necessary to enhance safety and restore confidence in the sector.
Usman said the
regulatory agency was learning from the recent major and minor incidences,
adding that the lessons would be put to use to prevent major accidents.
He said, without
doubt, the year 2018 had been turbulent in the global aviation industry
generally with incidences and accidents already recorded, but he assured that
the regulatory body in Nigeria would sustain and improve on the safety level in
the past years while the safety recommendations of Accident Investigation
Bureau (AIB) would be followed to the letters.
The Director-General
said: “We are intensifying our surveillance especially the ramping aspect of
it; checking, rechecking, training, re-training, inspections as much as
possible to ensure that whatever happens is in the past.
“Let me say that the
year 2018 started with so many incidences and even accidents worldwide.
Unfortunately, even though we have some incidences here, none has resorted into
any fatality or any serious injury. Of course, when you have occurrences,
incidences, they are to give you an early warning probably of something more to
come if you don’t do anything.
“Of course, we are
all humans with our own inadequacies and that is why accidents or incidences
happen, but our job here in NCAA is to prevent those accidents or incidences
from happening and that we do through the safety oversight systems as defined
by ICAO.”
On the recent
incursion of Consumer Protection Council (CPC) into aviation activities, Usman
advised the agency to focus more on its attention in other areas with less
regulation.
He explained that
aviation industry is one of the most regulated sectors in the globe with
international annexes and documents.
“We have annexes to
the convention that we have to abide by, we also have our own regulations
following some of these civil aviation Acts and the international civil
aviation annexes and documents.
“Aviation is
international in nature and there are several treaties, bilateral air services,
and other agreements, Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) and other activities
especially commercial activities. So, the role of CPC should be complementary
with that of NCAA. As I have said, we have to contend with other international
treaties, MoUs and agreements signed by Nigeria. CPC should focus more on other
areas that are not so regulated like aviation.”