The
Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI), an international not-for-profit and
non-partisan values based leadership development organisation that provides a
platform for emerging, highly accomplished and credible Nigerian leaders
(Senior Fellows, Fellows & Associates) to develop and express their values-based
leadership skills and also play a transformative role in the development of
Nigeria recently, on June 3, 2014, launched an innovative initiative designed
to make flying in Nigeria safer and efficient. The initiative is tagged the “Safer
Skies Initiative (SSI) web portal.” www.saferskiesng.org
Speaking at the event, the
Chief Executive Officer of NLI, Mr. Yinka Oyinlola, informed journalists that
The Safer Skies Initiative is a proactive and solution based response to the Dana
Airline Crash of 2012 and the frequent air disasters and accompanied loss of
lives and properties in Nigeria. Adding that, “since the first air accident in Nigeria, in 1969,
there have been 54 others for reasons such as poorly maintained aircrafts and
runways, poor communication equipment and lack of infrastructure,
non-functional radar, ineffective regulatory oversight, etc.” Continuing Mr.
Oyinlola averred that a situation where in the last 10 years, a total of 624
people have lost their lives from ten air crashes in Nigeria while a country
like South Africa has only had two air crashes within the same period is indeed
unacceptable.”
NLI has, through the Safer Skies Initiative, designed
five principal strands that are mutually complementary for the greatest impact
in catalyzing safer skies and a more efficient aviation industry in Nigeria:
·
Safer
Skies Portal
·
Safety
Advocacy
·
Trauma
Counselling referral
·
Legal
Rights & Options Referral
·
Financial
Planning & Budgeting Advice
The Safer Skies Initiative is also aimed at
improving the accountability of the aviation sector while also providing
concrete support and assistance to the families of victims of air accidents.
More
specifically, the NLI Director of Programs, Anthony Ubani, stated that the
“Safer Skies Initiative is a web portal that allows air travellers to report
safety issues and observations. The portal offers air operators a platform to
provide information and/or clarifications on reported issues. Air regulators
will also be able to monitor reported incidences and take necessary action.”
Ubani
added that Citizens’ reports and observations received at the Safer Skies
Initiative portal will be forwarded to the concerned air operator(s) for response
and comments. Serious anomalies, if un-responded to by the air operator(s),
will be communicated to the appropriate air regulator. Required follow-up
actions will be undertaken by NLI to ensure that air travels are safer for all.
All of these will be supported by a targeted consumer advocacy campaigns to
improve air safety conditions.”
On whether NLI intends to execute this laudable
initiative all alone, Ubani stated that “NLI will work collaboratively and in
partnership with critical stakeholders including airline and airport operators, airline and airport regulators, Federal
Ministry of Aviation, the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives,
Consumer Protection Council, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),
Nigeria Airspace Management Agency
(NAMA), Federal Airports Authority
of Nigeria (FAAN) to achieve the desired objective of safer Nigerian skies for
all.
“Concluding,
Ubani appreciated the President of the October 2013 NLI Associate Fellows
class, Mr. Gbolahan Fagbure, for his personal
commitment and leadership in mobilizing his colleagues to execute in a timely
fashion the first phase of the Safer Skies Initiative. Join
the Safer Skies Campaign on Twitter – @SaferSkiesNG
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