– Calls For Confiscation Of Aircraft
LAGOS – Engr. Femi Adeniji, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NIGAME Aircraft Consultancy Incorporation based in Florida, United States, has raised the safety alarm over incessant aircraft incidents in the Nigerian aviation industry.
The aviation expert also called on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to engage qualified experience inspectors to monitor and advise all operators; commercial and private on operations and maintenance activities regularly to the agency.
Adeniji also canvassed for confiscation of any aircraft found to have operated illegally and out of the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) it was issued by NCAA, saying that this would serve as a deterrent to others.
Speaking with our correspondent on phone over the weekend, Adeniji, expressed the worries by some of the operators, especially private jet operators, to circumvent the system.
Adeniji explained that another serious incident involving an airline in the same Ibadan airport and with a Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF), barely two months after the former should bother every aviation stakeholders, especially the apex regulatory body in the sector.
He emphasised further that in the last few months, the sector in Nigeria had recorded a series of serious incidents, which could have led to fatal accidents.
He mentioned the Max Air’s Boeing 737 airplane incident in which water was scooped out from its tank, runway excursions and others as some of the issues that required prompt attention from NCAA to prevent accidents in the sector.
The aviation professional further queried the monitoring mechanism put in place to monitor private operators with PNCF, maintaining that aviation safety was a non-compromised standard that required practicing, practical experienced personnel to succeed.
He maintained that the NCAA had shown little concern about the ubiquitous illegal charter operators, maintaining that legitimate charter Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders also needed protection from the agency.
“Safety in Nigeria’s aviation industry is now a matter of concern to me after yet another incident at Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan barely two months when after the former. Aviation safety is the study and practice of managing risks. This includes preventing aviation accidents and incidents.
“NCAA needs to engage qualified experienced inspectors that would monitor and advise all operators (commercial, private) on all operations, maintenance activities monthly to the agency. It’s a no go area when you find an aircraft being operated with an overflown Minimum Equipment List (MEL), cutting corners in the areas of maintenance.
“We had gallons of water in the fuel tank of aircraft, aircraft flying with worn tyres, retreaded tyres, pilots flying beyond their duty time. How many engineers working on aircraft are trained on the aircraft and how many years of experience do they have working on the aircraft? Operators using other organisations’ certificates of operation: how do they have ultimate control of the quality of maintenance and operations of the clients?”
Adeniji further questioned the numbers of inspectors on the payroll of NCAA and their competence.
He also challenged the NCAA to always conduct oversight inspections on all foreign registered aircraft operating in Nigeria.
“How for example a company is openly advertising for private charter without a commercial licence for charter? A non-airline is calling itself an airline. A private aircraft is being used like a bus service,” he said.
NCAA had immediately after the serious incident involving Mattini Airline Services Limited at the Ibadan Airport suspended its operations.
A statement by Mr. Michael Achimugu, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, had said that the PNCF of the airline, with the registration number: N580KR would remain suspended, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
The agency said that the suspension was in accordance with Section 32 (4) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022.
The apex regulatory body also hinted that it had further initiated a safety and economic audits of all private jet operations in Nigeria.
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