The director-general of the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Engr. Akin Olateru has expressed his appreciation to the Federal Government for its recent procurement of fire tenders for airports, which is in line with the safety recommendations made by NSIB in the past.
Olateru stated that the procurement of these fire tenders has demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to air safety and has emphasized the critical role of firefighters in ensuring the safety of air travellers.
During a meeting with the executive members of the Nigeria Aviation Fire and Safety Association (NAFSA) in Abuja, Olateru commended the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika for correcting the error in the system that led to the tragic crash of an aeroplane belonging to Sosoliso Airlines in 2005.
He also praised the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for implementing the recommendation made by NSIB, even though it came more than 15 years after the occurrence. Olateru stated that it is better late than never and urged aviation firefighters to assist NSIB in preserving evidence at crash sites.
In his remarks, the president of NAFSA, Comrade Sunday Ugbeikwu emphasised the importance of firefighters as first responders during air occurrences and called for collaboration between NAFSA and NSIB to enhance aviation safety in the country. Ugbeikwu stated that this partnership would ensure an interface between firefighters and NSIB investigators, which would assist in delivering thorough investigations.
The NSIB boss lauded the critical role of aviation firefighters in air safety and urged them to continue working towards improving safety measures at airports. He also called on other stakeholders to prioritize the safety of air travellers and commended the Federal Government for its efforts in boosting airport fire safety. With these efforts, Nigeria is set to become a safer place for air travellers and the NSIB is poised to continue promoting aviation safety in the country.
