Husband to the late principal of the Federal Government College, Bwari, Abuja, Marie Okwulehie, a victim of the ill-fated Dana aircraft, Mr. Paul Okwulehie, yesterday made a passionate plea to the federal government not to allow the report of the Dana crash investigation die like other reports before it.
Mr Okwulehie, a director in the Federal Ministry of Labour, told the National Assembly panel investigating the crash that killing the report would further worsen the agony of grieving families.
Describing the crash as an avoidable one, he said proper investigation and implementation of the findings would help to save other Nigerians from suffering the pains the bereaved are going through now.
“The report should not be swept under the carpet. We have had too many airplane crashes in Nigeria. I can assure you that this is one of the crashes that have shaken the fabric of the Nigerian society.
“If we want to continue with the business-as-usual attitude, what it means is that so many people will have to go through the pain and agony that families of the bereaved are currently going through.
“In times like this, I believe that God is looking for champions who will dare everybody and speak the truth and make sure that the accident is very thoroughly investigated.
“I urge everybody involved in this probe to have the boldness to do proper investigation and record the proceedings, and use it as a basis to prevent other occurrences. The pain, agony and the loss are too big.
“Please let not the blood of the victims be in vain.
Don’t do any cover-up. Please expose everything that needs to be exposed. Tell the truth after the investigation. This is a very serious assignment for you, and it is a blood assignment for you.”
Meanwhile, the management of Dana Airlines and the director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Harold Demuren differed with the National Assembly panel over the viability of aged airplanes in Nigeria.