The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) hosted the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s AFI Regional Workshop on the improvement of a Fundamental Safety Oversight System in the area of Aircraft Accident and Incident investigation (AIG) within RASG-AFI States.
The four-day workshop, which was held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja had delegates from 12 African countries and delegates from agencies within Nigeria which includes Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Federal Ministry of Aviation (FMA), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Declaring the workshop open, the Minister of State Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika said that the government has repositioned the AIB to offer accident investigation services to other African countries.
He said that the AIB had in the last two years been equipped and improved in the conduct of accident investigation through training of personnel and equipping its laboratory.
Addressing the delegates at the workshop, Engr. Akin Olateru, Commissioner/CEO of AIB, said that Nigeria is ready to go into collaboration with other African States and would be “ready to deploy our resources to assist any African states in accident investigations.”
He also added that, no country can do it alone even as no country has all resources to facilitate all accident investigations.
The ICAO Regional representative, Mr. Osuamane Ali commended Nigeria for hosting the workshop and specially thanked the Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika and the Commissioner/CEO of AIB, Engr. Akin Olateru for the support towards the success of the workshop.
Mr. Kamto Wambo Gilbert a delegate from Cameroun gave kudos to the Nigerian government and AIB for the human and material resources made available for accident investigation in the country.
Having visited the Bureau’s Flight Safety Laboratory located at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international Airport, Abuja, Gilbert said the future of accident investigation and air safety is bright for the continent.
By Oketunbi Tunji at 5 Sep 2018, 10:53 AM
