The Director-General of Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau, Engr Akin Olateru, has commended the Federal Government’s efforts towards enhancing aviation safety in the country through the procurement of fire tenders for airports.
Olateru made this known while receiving the executive members of the Nigeria Aviation Fire and Safety Association in Abuja.
A statement by the General Manager of Public Affairs NSIB, Tunji Oketunbi, stated that the procurement of the fire tenders was in line with the safety recommendations made by NSIB in the past when it was formerly known as Accident Investigation Bureau.
He recalled the Sosoliso crash of 2005 in which passengers, including school children, died in a most tragic manner and it was exacerbated by the inadequate fire tenders in the airport.
He commended the aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, for taking the bull by the horn to correct the error in the system.
He said, “Sosoliso crash is an occurrence, which nobody prays to experience again because it was not just that the aircraft crashed, not just that people were burnt to death but that parents watched while their children were burnt to death. They were helpless. That memory will be with any parent for life.”
Earlier in his remark, the President of NAFSA, Sunday Ugbeikwu, commended NSIB and its leadership for the wonderful work of promoting aviation safety in Nigeria.
While underscoring the importance of firefighters as first responders during occurrences, the NAFSA president sought collaboration between NAFSA and NSIB to further boost aviation safety in the country.
This partnership, according to him, will ensure an interface between firefighters as first responders during air occurrences and NSIB as investigators, which will assist in delivering thorough investigations.
The NSIB boss lauded NAFSA for the critical role they play in ensuring air safety and urged them to assist NSIB in preserving the evidence at the crash sites.
The two organisations agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding as soon as possible to strengthen the relationship.