ACCIDENT Investigation Bureau (AIB) has set up a committee of 12-members with two industry experts approved by the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika to review the bureau’s 120 safety recommendations since 2007.
Commissioner of the Bureau, Akin Olateru who made this known in a press briefing said that the appointment of the members were drawn from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the AIB and the Ministry of Transportation.
According to him, since the AIB could not enforce safety recommendations it put forward, it was setting the committee to review how effective the safety recommendation are within the frame on 30 days.
Olateru will chair the committee which comprises five other members of AIB, four from the NCAA, one from the Federal Ministry of Transport and two independent industry .
The members are : Eng. Charles Erhueh Irifreke, First Officer Sadik Abdulsalami Abubakar, Eng. Roland Nwaohiro, Eng. Iteke Ifeanyi, Captain J. O. Vincent, Mr. S. Aminu, Engineer J. Adeboye, Taiwo Olugbenga and from the FMT Awogbami Clement.
Experts from the industry appointed as consultants to the committee are Capt Kiddie Dare and Engr. Gbolahan Abatan.
Olateru said,”While we appreciate that our safety recommendations have recorded positive impacts locally and globally, we found it imperative to holistically review the effectiveness of all the recommendations with a view to enhancing aviation safety to the benefits of all air travellers.”
“It is with this background that AIB decided to review our recommendations from inception totaling 120 and measure the level of their effectiveness. Members of this committee are drawn from AIB, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Ministry of Transportation and the industry.”
“To ensure a balance and objectivity, the Honourable Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has approved the appointment of experienced industry experts as consultants to the committee. They are Capt Kiddie Dare and Engr. Gbolahan Abatan.”
“The committee will engage the affected stakeholders on the effectiveness of the safety recommendations addressed to them and submit their report to AIB management, which will work on it for the benefits of the industry.”
“The responsibility for enforcing safety recommendations lies with NCAA and this may explain why there are four nominees on this committee from the agency. This exercise is therefore to complement their efforts and enhance the industry’s capacity to improve safety.”