Posted by Sade Williams
Few hours after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on the use of its metallurgical laboratory situated in Abuja, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) was named the ‘Most Innovative Aviation Agency.”
This is the latest in the series of awards the agency charged with investigating aircraft accidents and serious incidents has been receiving from stakeholders for its sterling performance.
The award was bestowed on the agency by the Association of Foreign Airlines Representatives in
Nigeria (AFARN) at a summit and award ceremony held at the Sheraton Hotels and Suites in Lagos.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AIB, Engr. Akin Olateru, while receiving the award on behalf of the bureau, commended the organisers for recognising the performance of AIB.
Olateru was supported on the podium by the management team to receive the award.
Olateru noted that since the new management came onboard in January 2017, it had released more accident reports and safety recommendations than any management before it.
So far, 45 per cent of safety recommendations released to the public since 2006 was released by the current management. AIB was established in 2007 by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation Act (NCAR 2006).
Olateru assured that the award would further spur on the management to continue in the discharge of its performance to the industry, stressing that Nigeria through its recommendations; safety would further be improved in the industry.
He said: “I am very glad to receive this award on behalf of AIB. This award goes to show to the world
that AIB has been contributing to the growth of the industry ever since it was established.
“Since we came onboard, we have released more accident and incident reports and recommendations than any other management before us. The fact is we will continue to do more and contribute our quota to the development of the industry as a whole. As at today, we have released 35 final reports and a total of 147 safety recommendations since the inception of AIB. We believe that this has impacted air safety, not only in Nigeria, but globally.
“With 66 safety recommendations out of147 and 16 final reports out of 35 recorded from January 2017 to date, we have achieved 45 per cent of our safety recommendation and 46 per cent of publication of the accident and serious incident report.”
Earlier, President of AFARN, Mr. Kingsley Nwokoma said that AIB was selected based on its outstanding performance in the past one year. According to him, AIB’s safety recommendations on incidents and accidents in recent time had helped to further boost safety in the industry and prevent a recurrence.
He urged other agencies and organisations in the sector to emulate AIB.
