A probe report of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation into the crashed Dana aircraft last week among others indicted the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren over the incident and subsequently called for his sack. EDEGBE ODEMWINGIE reports.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday recommended the sack of the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren over “professional negligence and incompetence” resulting in the fatal Dana plane crash that claimed 153 lives of passengers on a scheduled trip from Abuja to Lagos.
Also, Dana’s current Air Operating Certificate (AOC) should be revoked because it was not issued in compliance with NCAA’s Civil Regulations Guideline 2009, a report of the House Committee on Aviation recommended.
The report’s recommendation read, “NCAA inspector, Engineer Suleiman Akwuh who did pre-arrival inspection on the ill-fated Dana Aircraft without pre?requisite professional qualification should be dismissed from service. The Director-General who approved and deployed the officer should be sanctioned for professional negligence.?
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Based on the following facts:
(a) NCAA under the leadership of the current Director-General, Dr. Harold Demuren brought in MD83 to operate in Nigeria even when there is no licensed engineer rated on the aircraft.
(b) ????????? For the period under review Dana operated 14 air returns caused by system failure which is a sufficient indication of imminent danger.
(c) Up to the time of this report, NCAA is still without any licensed engineer type-rated on MD83 yet it is going ahead with technical audit on Dana operations with a view to restore its license. This constitutes negligence.
(d) The tenure of the current Director General of NCAA has expired 3 months before Dana crash occurred on 3rd June, 2012.
So the current Director General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren should be removed from office for professional negligence and incompetence.
The report recommended that the staff strength of NCAA should be totally overhauled with a view to inject technically and professional qualified personnel to enhance its regulatory role in line with the international best practices.
The report further read, “The investigation report? of Bellview? Airlines and other accident investigation reports should be revisited.
“The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) should be properly equipped with modern laboratory facilities to enable it discharge its responsibilities.
“MD83 aircraft should be phased out of Nigeria aviation industry as NCAA has no certified engineer on MD83 in its employment more so that the aircraft has been decommissioned by its manufacturers.
“The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and indeed Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) should be properly equipped with well trained staff and equipment for the purposes of responding promptly and adequately to air accident in the country.
“The Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation should create incentive for indigenous airlines by providing special intervention fund to encourage growth in the aviation industry.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria should recover the N35.5 billion which was extended to Air Nigeria through UBA but was diverted to other uses.
“The Federal Government should endeavour to put in place a hanger of international standard to reduce cost of aircraft maintenance by airline operators in Nigeria.
“The Air Field Lighting System should be returned to FAAN without further delay.
“ An age limit of not more than 15 years should be placed for new acquisition for passenger aircraft and 20 years for cargo aircraft.
“NCAA should carry out post accident regulatory oversight duty on Allied Air immediately after the conclusion of investigation and report by Ghana Accident Investigation Department.
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$79 Oil Benchmark
The 2013-2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy (MTEFFS) presented last October by President Goodluck Jonathan was Tuesday adopted by the House of Representatives.
In adopting the federal government’s economic strategy document, federal lawmakers shifted ground and approved a $79 per barrel crude oil benchmark for the 2013 budget.
Prior to the new development, the House had insisted on the $80 per barrel benchmark while federal government claimed that its $75 proposal remains the best for the country. The Senate nearly aligned with the lower chamber and stated that $78 per barrel is the appropriate benchmark for the country.
At Tuesday’s plenary, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, John Enoh (Cross River/PDP) informed lawmakers that a joint conference of both arms of the National Assembly had agreed on the $79 benchmark as against the $80 earlier adopted by the House.
Additional funds arising from the $4 increase in the $79 per barrel benchmark is to be used to substantially reduce domestic borrowing and deficit as well as fund execution of critical infrastructures in the country.
In part, Enoh disclosed that the joint conference recommended that crude oil production levels be retained at 2.526 million barrels per day for 2013, 2.61 million for 2014 and 2.648 million for 2015.
Reps Stop SEC’s Budget Over Oteh
In passing the N4,987 trillion 2013 national budget, the House of Representatives Thursday ordered the withholding of funding for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), insisting that the SEC Director-General, Arunma Oteh be removed.
Also, for the first time in years, the 2013 budget, submitted also on an unprecedented early date by President Goodluck Jonathan, was approved by both chambers, just before federal lawmakers proceeded on Christmas break.
The new budget law stipulates a rollover of all unspent capital expenditure into 2013 – a move, lawmakers say will block hurried spending of unutilized monies, rife among several government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Federal lawmakers reiterated their position that it will have no dealings with SEC under Oteh.
In passing the 2013 budget estimates, the House ordered at plenary: “All revenue howsoever described including all fees received, fines, grants, budgetary provisions and all internally and externally generated revenue shall not be spent by Securities and Exchange Commission for recurrent or Capital purposes or for any other matters, nor liabilities thereon incurred except with prior appropriation and approval by the National Assembly”
In a briefing with newsmen after passing the 2013 budget, House spokesman, Zakari Mohammed said the House will not touch SEC budget until and unless all its resolutions on SEC is implemented in entirety by the executive.
“If we (House) resolve and we have done our findings and say this is the situation. Of course, we don’t have the authority to say let her go, but we will always meet. It is like a child who has offended his parents, they will meet at the dinner table. In SEC’s case, we have met at the dinner table and we want to see what monies will be used to run SEC in the year coming.” Mohammed.
Mohammed faulted views bandied in select quarters that legislative resolutions were mere advisory according to him, resolutions has the force of law.
“Even though people will say it is mere advisory, it was not advisory when we had the doctrine of necessity that brought up the first beneficiary who are the executive arm today. The Senate are with us on this matter. Oteh must go as far as we are concerned. If she doesn’t go, we won’t touch the budget. We still maintain that stand, it has not changed.
Against the backdrop of SEC being among self accounting agencies, hence insulated from legislative budget vetting, the House spokesman said, “We have a lot of postulators in this country. They have a recourse to us. As far as we are concerned as an instititution, we won’t have any dealings with them. The implication is rife because there are issues of operation. It happened with the case of BPP, this can be an exception as well.
Recall that a House sanctioned inquest into the near collapse of the country’s capital market suffered ill-fate when a N44 million bribery allegation led to the disbandment of the Herman Hembe-led panel.
The SEC Director General who made that allegation also stated that SEC provided monies for Hembe and his deputy to embark on a foreign trip to the Dominican Republican, a journey that was not made and monies not returned.
A second attempt by the Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi-led panel concluded the probe and subsequently indicted Oteh recommending her sack, a resolution the Goodluck Jonathan administration is yet to comply with.
On the capital budget rollover, the House spokesman stated, “We have delivered our promise to Nigerians that we are going to pass the budget before Christmas, that we have done. The basic figures, the sectoral analysis will be done sometime in January. However, there is a proviso that we will rollover the budget because the excuses given always by the executive is that the budget doesn’t start early in the year.
“That of course is a reason they will tell you is a reason for capital projects being abandoned. We have agreed that the 2012 capital budget component will roll over to April 2013. Meaning that even the fourth quarter allocation that was done few days ago would definately be utilised properly because the implication is that if we end the budget by December 31 it means that some money may have to be returned to the treasury and as the case with some MDAs, the monies because of the rush getting their records together might even be misapplied.
“The executive doesn’t want rollover, by 31 you will hear the finance minister as said earlier that they will be doing mop-up. Money available will be returned to the treasury, they want to start a new budget. Where ever those capital projects stop it means that they will be at the mercy of some re-awards someday.
“We have now been seen as opposition within a government. Yes, we cannot be bed of roses but at the same time, we will always let them know that these things are not right.
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