Aviation
Low Patronage Hits Airline In PH …As Passengers Harp On Safety
Sequel to the recent incident that occurred at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa where a Dana Airline flight from Abuja over-shoot the runway on landing at the airport, many air passengers now show resentment and unwillingness to patronise the airline.
Some of the passengers even those on board the fated flight have also ill-fated to discouraging their friends and colleagues from having anything to do with the Airline with respect to travelling through their flight route.
The scenario played out conspicuously when one of the passengers on the ill- fated flight and a female senior lawyer in Rivers State (name withheld) recently, openly told a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, not to join the Dana Airline flight for any reason.
She said “do not have anything to do with the Dana Airline flights. Are you hearing what I am telling you, for your safety, please do not travel with Dana Airline again”.
Also another passengers, who was reminded of the final boarding announcement on Dana flight to Abuja, exclaimed “God forbid”.
The lawmaker from Bayelsa State said, “you want me to join Dana flight that would have nearly killed me”?God forbid”.
The Tide observed that the passengers traffic section of Dana Airline has drastically reduced, after the near crash incident in Port Harcourt.
Only a handful of passengers are now seven embarking on Dana flights unlike before the incident, whereas, other airlines still maintain high passengers patronage.
As a measure to curb corruption and restore accountability, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), has called on the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to push for the urgent formation and inauguration of governing boards for all other aviation agencies.
ANAP’s Secretary General, AbdulRasaq Saidu, made this call at the weekend when interacting with aviation correspondents, in reaction to recent inauguration of Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Keyamo had recently inaugurated the FAAN board, more than six months after its members were appointed by President Bola Tinubu, where Dr. Umar Ganduje was named Board Chairman, with FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, as the Vice Chairman.
Other board members include representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Defence, Tourism, and Aviation, as well as professionals from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, and FAAN’s legal department.
The ANAP scribe there urged the aviation Minister not to stop at FAAN but to ensure that all aviation parastatals are given functional boards to restore order and credibility to the sector.
He, however, commended Keyamo for recently inaugurating the board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria but stressed that more needed to be done.
Saidu also warned that the continued delay in constituting boards for other aviation agencies creates room for unchecked abuses, including illegal contracts, fraudulent employment practices, and mismanagement.
“The absence of governing boards violates the enabling Acts that established these agencies. Only properly constituted boards can enforce discipline, ensure due process in decision-making, and provide oversight to prevent corruption”, Saidu said.
He emphasised that the aviation unions, including ANAP, have consistently raised concerns about poor governance and lack of transparency within the aviation system.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to act swiftly by appointing board members for all relevant agencies, in the interest of fairness and aviation safety.
Saidu also tackled the former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, for failing to inaugurate any boards during his eight-year tenure, despite appointments being made by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“ANAP raised the alarm several times under Sirika’s leadership, but nothing changed. That lapse has continued under the current administration, and it must be addressed now”, Saidu stated.
By: Corlins Walter