FASHOLA CALLS FOR IMPROVED SAFETY MEASURES IN NIGERIAN AIRSPACE Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola(SAN) on Monday appealed to military officers and their colleagues who are pilots, aeronautical engineers, instructors and all the likes to ensure that they do all that is necessary to improve safety in the air. Fashola who spoke at the Lagos House, Ikeja when he received the Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Monday Morgan on a courtesy visit, added that they must not think twice in ensuring the safety of those who fly the country’s airspace. He believes that the safety of lives is the primary responsibility of those in positions of authority, saying: “It is true that we have the responsibility for safety of life and property but we cannot secure life and property, if certain safety standards are not kept, it adds to the index of casualty that we may have to deal with”. He insisted that there must be uncompromising standards about ensuring safety whether on the military or civil aviation side and reasoned that everybody must work together to make the Nigerian aviation industry safer so that when people board an aircraft in this country or from this country, they must feel confident that nothing unusual will happen. “We know that aircrafts are mechanical devices and mechanical devices can fail but there is a protocol for keeping mechanical devices operational and functional and all of you who are pilots and instructors know what we are talking about and if people drop the ball in those areas, there must be nothing fit and proper than the extreme punishment to demonstrate to such people the value that we put on the life of every Nigerian. That is the only way we can ensure that people who are entrusted with other peoples’ lives treat those lives with the same level of care that they would treat their own”. The Governor also reiterated that in civilian administrations, much more attention needs to be paid to budgeting and support of military institutions in order to keep them busy and engaged with tactical and field operations, especially in peace times. “Those of you who signed up to serve and to give your life in the defence of the territorial integrity of Nigeria know that in peace time, there is not a lot to do and this is the time when governments must realize keeping the commands and formations busy and active and also take care of issues of welfare”. He also reiterated that the military authorities should never grow weary of re-inforcing the message to officers and men that as long as they live within the city they must obey the rules and regulation as that operates in the city to enable them live in harmony with their civilian neighbours. While referring to the essence of traffic law, the Governor explained that the level of civilization and law and order that exist in any society can be determined within the first five minutes when anyone enters a city which can be seen it from the planning in the sky and from the traffic on the road. He said that would give an inkling into whether it is a good place or not, adding: “so when people choose to go the other way because they live by another law, they should keep that law inside so that when they come out we can speak the same language”. Speaking earlier, the visiting Air Officer Commanding Logistic Command, Air Vice Marshal Monday Morgan commended the State Government for the good works, saying Lagos has really been transformed going by his experience in 1986 when he first came to the city and what the city now looks like. While admiring the youthfulness and energy with which the Governor is pursuing his job in Lagos State, the AOC said Lagos is benefitting from the wealth of experience of the Governor and also commended his efforts in improving security in the state. He said the morale of the officers and men of the Airforce in Lagos remain very high and would stand by the Governor at all times and also sought the assistance of the Governor in terms of some of the projects needing attention at the Airforce formation in Ikeja and in Shasha. While responding to some of the issues raised in the address of the Governor, Air Vice Marshal Monday Morgan said the present military command has zero tolerance for infractions against the law by military personnel. He added that the military have come to a realisation that they are better off under civilian administrations because the stability of jobs and tenures which is being enjoyed now under civilian administration are sometimes not obtainable under the military. He also called for integration of retired military flight officers, instructors, aeronautical engineers and pilots into the administration of the civil aviation industry in Nigeria because of their level of experience saying they possess the required skills and expertise to ensure the safety of the airspace unlike what presently obtains. The Governor was joined by the Deputy Governor. Hon (Mrs) Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire, members of the State Executive Council including the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Oluranti Adebule, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Femi Hamzat and Information and Strategy, Mr Lateef Ibirogba in receiving the Air Officer Commanding the Logistics Command who was accompanied by senior military officers including the commander 435 Base Services Group, Ikeja, Air Commodore Sunday Wukangha.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:37:10 +0000
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