News

FG okays ₦707 million for airline accident investigation tool

Published

2 years ago

July 28, 2022

Fahuyost (ANE Staff)

Share this post:

He also disclosed that the council approved the memo to allow Nigeria to lease aircraft to start operations.

The federal government has approved 1,506,285.7 euros which is equivalent to N707,962,864.83 for the deployment of investigation tools by the Accident Investigation Bureau in the aviation sector.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the federal executive council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, the tool will permit the accident investigation to be able to decode all that is going on in flights.

He also disclosed that the council approved the memo to allow Nigeria to lease aircraft to start operations.

Sirika said air Nigeria will start with three airlines.

“I presented two memoranda on the national carrier to allow Nigeria to lease aircraft to start operations. That has been approved by the council. And the second is the deployment of investigation tools by the Accident Investigation Bureau.

“It is believed that the tool will permit the accident investigation to be able to decode going on in flights, and God forbid, should there be a need to investigate the accident or incident, the tool will help them to be able to do so.

“That procurement is for 1,506,285.7 euros which is equivalent to N707,962,864.83.

“This will be including taxes at a central bank exchange rate of 472 in Euro with the delivery period of 11 months and is awarded to Messers integrated contract services limited for AIB,” he added.

On the government intends to pull through the hiccups facing the aviation sector, Sirika said: “There are challenges currently in our aviation industry but it is a global phenomenon and it will not last forever because aviation is a very resilient sector. Certainly we will overcome these problems.

“Of particular reference, yesterday (Tuesday) all of you were present when we discussed with the Airline operators of Nigeria (AON) as to the challenges we’re facing in terms of Jet A1 availability and of course pricing, which is 40% of the operations of the airline.

“We’re finding solutions to those problems and the cost of fuel also is being attended to and so on and so forth. So yes, we will get there. And it’s doable and by God’s grace.”