Citizens of Nigeria continue to call on the Nigerian National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to fulfill its promise to investigate the safety adherence of all local air carriers in Nigeria. The vow which came after a DANA aircraft skidded off the runway at the domestic wing of the Muritala Mohammed Airport on Tuesday, marks the third time DANA has endangered the life of its passengers over the past 12 years. — first in a 2012 crash with 168 casualties and more recently, an emergency door pull out in 2018.
The incident, many believe, further exposes a heightened level of incompetence peculiar among appointed ministers within the Tinubu administration, especially for current Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo, a former crimes prosecutor whose failed tenure as a Minister of State for Labour and oversaw one of the highest youth unemployment rates (37%) since democratic rule. This sterns from perceived Tinubu’s appointment of square pegs in round holes leading to complete display of incompetence and lack of delivery in various sectors of Nigeria economy.
Nigeria’s aviation sector remains plagued by persistent problems, including rising flight costs, provocative delays, inadequate maintenance, lax safety rules, occasional breakdowns and a litany of lawsuits. The Nigerian government has not done enough to support local air lines to effectively compete with their peers in both local and international spheres. These occurrences which erode citizens’ confidence in the safety of air travel, also highlight the importance of conducting comprehensive investigations, implementing changes in aviation policies and reforms, and making ongoing efforts to prioritize passenger safety.
Given the dreaded insecurity, banditry and kidnapping now common with land travel, and exacerbated by 12-years of APC strongly adjudged misrule, the Federal Government and its Ministry of Transportation must expedite efforts towards ensuring the safety of its citizens on air, sea and land.
Thankfully all crew and passengers aboard flight 5N BK1 were reported safe.
