Headlinenews.news reports that the Aviation Safety Roundtable Initiative (ART) has expressed its disapproval of the suspension of Dana Airlines’ operations and cautioned against ministry interference in the autonomy of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
In a statement released by the General Secretary of ASRTI, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, on Thursday in Lagos, Ohunayo voiced ART’s disappointment with the actions taken by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), instructing the NCAA to suspend Dana Airlines’ operations.
According to Ohunayo, the directive was deemed unlawful and had the potential to undermine confidence in the industry within the global community. It also posed a threat to safety and security in the aviation sector by challenging the principles of an autonomous industry regulator.
“The suspension of Dana Airlines’ entire operations, directed by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, signals a regression to past practices that undermine confidence in the industry globally,” Ohunayo stated.
ART denounced the external interference demonstrated by the minister’s directive, asserting that it eroded institutional autonomy and compromised safety in the aviation sector. The initiative reaffirmed its commitment to the non-negotiable autonomy of the NCAA, as outlined in Section 4 (3) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act.
Ohunayo emphasized that financial audits of airlines and decisions regarding appropriate sanctions for violations were the exclusive responsibilities of the NCAA.
ART called for the immediate lifting of Dana Airlines’ suspension and demanded an apology to the aviation community for the minister’s actions. It urged the minister to focus on policy matters that positively impact the airline industry and allow other agencies to carry out their statutory obligations without interference.
Furthermore, ART urged the prompt appointment of required boards to ensure the smooth and properly guided operations of agencies. Ohunayo commended the recent suspension of three non-schedule operators for operational infractions by the NCAA.
The initiative also urged the NCAA to disclose the airlines involved in reported infractions for transparency and highlight actions to avoid to prevent enforcement actions by the NCAA.
On April 24, the minister directed the NCAA to suspend Dana Airlines’ Air Operators Certificate after one of its aircraft, an MD-82, skidded off the runway at the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, on April 23. Fortunately, no lives were lost as all 83 passengers and six crew members safely disembarked from the aircraft unhurt.
