NASS to probe safety issues in aviation sector

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Aviation has announced plans to probe the Safety Investigations Bureau and airlines operating in Nigeria over alleged sharp practices.
This was disclosed on Sunday by Abiodun Akinlade, Chairman House Committee on Aviation Technology, saying the committee would ensure the safety of Nigerians flying on local and international airlines.
He added that safety of citizens was a priority of the 10th National Assembly, hence, a summit has been proposed for all stakeholders and operators in the industry to comply with global set standards.
“We will not tolerate the idea of cutting costs at the expense of endangering passengers’ lives.”
According to the lawmaker, there were loopholes in the aviation industry that needed attention, which the joint committees of the upper and lower legislative chambers would like to address in the interest of air travelers.
“The proposed summit seeks to address the loopholes in the laws that guide the operation of airlines in Nigeria with a view to strengthen the industry and ensure conformity with international standards practices,” he maintained.
To address the current challenges in the industry, he said necessary amendments will be carried out by the legislators.
Akinlade assured that, upon the resumption, investigation will be carried out on the root causes of industry issues, including requesting audit reports on the airlines and reports from Safety Investigation Bureaus.