Union faults NAPIMS on stoppage of Bristow’s contracts over crash

*We are committed to safety-Airline

In response to the call by Nigeria’s National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), a corporate services unit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation for the termination of Bristow Helicopters contracts in the country following the emergency landing of a Bristow-operated Sikorsky S-76C++ helicopter on Feb. 3, 2016, aviation union has called for restraints.

NAPIMS stated that the fatal accident and recent incident have called into question Bristow’s maintenance and inspection programs, prompting the call for its joint partners to terminate all Bristow helicopter services contracts.
But the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) has asked President Mohammadu Buhari to call the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) to order over its directive to terminate all contracts with Bristow helicopters over the ditching of her Sikorsky type machine.
In a statement issued by the National president of ATSSSAN, Okewu Benjamin, the association questioned the authority and grounds of which NAPIMS gave that directive.
Okewu argued that the technical audit of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was carrying out its standard procedure used all over the world when an airline or operator is involved in two or more air accidents within a spate of time.
“NAPIMS is only but a corporate service unit of the exploration and production Directorate on the NNPC and have not power to act instead of the regulator, NCAA”
Okewu maintained that the only organisation recognised by international civil aviation organization (ICAO) to ground any airline operations and declare it unsafe to fly is the NCAA.
ATSSSAN advised NAPIMS not to use the unfortunate situation of the crash or ditching to play the politics of diverting Bristow contracts to other parties where they seemed to have vested interest in the name of safety as it is too early to make such conclusion.
He urged all to wait for the final report and decision of the NCAA audit and directives on the matter.
Jolted by the directive of NAPIMS, Bristow swiftly issued a statement saying, “We are aware that a number of our clients have received a letter from the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) requesting termination of Bristow’s services and have engaged the authority and other government officials on the matter.”
The airline stated that safety is Bristow’s number one core value and remain focused on safety in all aspects of their operation, stressing that they are in full compliance of all NCAA regulatory requirements and Sikorsky operating directives, and continue to fully cooperate with the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in their investigation into the event of Feb. 3, 2016.
“We remain committed to continuing our safety work with all members of the aviation community, including other operators, to share best practices and support other initiatives that will help improve safety, and to honouring the contractual obligations with our customers.”
“A comprehensive audit of our operation has been performed by the NCAA, and the NCAA has authorised that Bristow start test flights of the S-76 C++. We are also conducting series of additional safety assurance checks on the Sikorsky S-76 fleet as a precautionary measure prior to returning the aircraft to service.
“We are engaging an independent third party to conduct an additional review of Bristow’s operations in Nigeria, with the expectation that such initiative will also extend to include the review of other similar entities across the Nigerian oil and gas industry, so that best practices can be shared laterally across all operators to further enhance safety.”

Wole Shadare