Senate probes Air Peace runway overrun in Port Harcourt

The Senate has launched a broad probe into the caller Air Peace runway overrun astatine the Port Harcourt International Airport.

This is arsenic it besides raised concerns astir substance maltreatment and lax supervision among aviation personnel.

The determination followed a question sponsored by Sen. Buhari Abdulfatai (APC-Oyo) during Wednesday’s plenary.

The question cited the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) study connected the June 22 incidental involving an Air Peace Boeing 737-500 aircraft.

Abdulfatai said that though nary lives were lost, the NSIB study exposed superior information lapses, including mediocre runway conditions, inadequate airfield lighting, and anemic regulatory oversight.

“Nigeria has successful caller years witnessed an summation successful runway-related incidents and near-misses that could undermine nationalist assurance and endanger lives if not urgently addressed,” helium said.

In its resolutions, the precocious enclosure urged the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to urgently instrumentality information recommendations contained successful the NSIB report.

It besides called connected the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to fortify compliance monitoring, behaviour regular audits of airports, and enforce adherence to planetary information standards.

The lawmakers directed FAAN to prioritise rehabilitation of runways, supply airfield lighting, and instal modern navigational immunodeficiency nationwide, opening with Port Harcourt International Airport.

During the debate, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (APC-Abia) expressed heavy interest implicit alleged cause usage and mediocre supervision among pilots, describing it arsenic a “deadly and increasing threat” to Nigeria’s aviation safety.

“On respective occasions, I person refused to alert due to the fact that immoderate pilots were intelligibly unprepared.

“Some trust connected outer help, portion others adjacent prosecute successful substance usage earlier flights and yet, the authorities look the different way,” Kalu said.

He accused aviation agencies, including the NCAA and NEMA, of failing to behaviour regular cause and wellness checks for formation crews earlier takeoff.

“This is unacceptable. Many modern craft tin onshore automatically, yet we inactive person specified incidents due to the fact that pilots nether the power cannot negociate adjacent elemental systems.

“Substance maltreatment successful aviation is existent and it is deadly,” helium warned.

Kalu further urged the authorities to overhaul airdrome infrastructure, peculiarly runways, saying information “begins from the ground.”

“Our runways are successful unspeakable conditions. Let america hole our infrastructure and guarantee pilots and unit conscionable planetary standards. Passenger information and Nigeria’s estimation are astatine stake,” helium added.

The Senate Committee connected Aviation is expected to taxable a broad study wrong 4 weeks detailing its findings and recommended corrective measures.
(NAN)

The station Senate probes Air Peace runway overrun successful Port Harcourt appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.