N600 million crash probe laboratory rots away
- Lawmakers seek facility’s relocation, lauds AIB
The N600 million metallurgical science laboratory located in Abuja rots away more than eight years after the facility was built to cater for critical analysis of aeroplanes during crashes.
Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Akin Olateru made the disclosure when the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation rounded off its oversight of the aviation sector at the AIB head office in Lagos.
He said the facility had not been put to use because of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line that passed through the laboratory, describing it as AIB’s weakest link.
A metallurgical, where we examine metals to determine the structure of a damaged part or parts of aircraft to determine cause or causes.
This is advanced stage of accident investigation where you want to determine the state and condition of the material. Some material failures can be examined in this laboratory to ascertain the failure of the metal; was it before the accident or by the impact of the accident.
Recently, the agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the University of Ilorin on the use of its metallurgical laboratory at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
Commissioner of AIB, Akin Olateru, while signing the agreement in Lagos, said the laboratory was to the benefit of Nigeria, students of higher institutions of learning and industries in the country.
Olateru said that the pact would save Nigeria huge capital flights, which would have been expended on air tickets, hotels and others by researchers, adding that collaborations enhance mutual benefits.
Accident investigation is complex. What we have done is to send our investigators to Singapore and other places for training. The material science laboratory which contract was awarded about three, four years ago; some equipment were bought but unfortunately, most of them are still in cartons”.
The Aib Chief further disclosed that the agency needs more funding to carry out its statutory responsibilities, stressing that it does not generate money but mandated to fund all accident and incident investigation.
Olateru noted that the agency relies on three per cent only from Ticket Sales Charge (TSC). The TSC is in accordance with Civil Aviation Act of 2006. It is a parliamentary issue.
In the same document, it further explained how to distribute the five per cent. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) gets 58 per cent; AIB three per cent; Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) gets 9 per cent; Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) gets 23 per cent and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) gets 7 per cent which makes it 100 per cent.
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) gets zero per cent. The TSC is shared among five government agencies under aviation. To set the record straight, the executive arm of government has no power to alter the allocation.
Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji lauded Olateru and his team for the huge jobs he said they have done in the last two years to bring accident investigation at par with what is obtained in advanced countries.
He promised to assist AIB realise its objective of safer airspace through funding of its projects.
“We will do everything possible to support AIB. Your agency is extremely doing well. We are impressed with your capacity building for other nations”.
On the metallurgical science laboratory, I think the building can be relocated . The committee will assist you because this is a wonderful thing to the country. We will partner with you. We will support the multi modal bill. There will be public hearing on that”, he added
Google+