The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on Monday began the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Mr Jean-Claude Waffo, who is the leader of the ICAO four-man team, made this known while briefing newsmen in Lagos.
He said the team was selected by ICAO to conduct the audit of the country towards ensuring that it was in compliance with international aviation standards.
Waffo explained that the first audit took place in 2006; this year’s audit was to reflect the changes that may have happened in the civil aviation system.
According to him, the purpose of the audit is to assess Nigeria’s capability to provide a robust safety oversight system.
“The audit is to ensure that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) oversees its own aviation system to regulate it and to enforce compliance with the regulation, which normally marks the international regulations.
“I wish to thank the NCAA and we are asking for their cooperation to assist us during the preparation phase, which is an important phase.
“This is because it is at the preparation phase that we will collect all the possible evidence and we will know the additional questions we are going to raise when we are on site.
“We will also use all the data that are provided for the online framework to ensure that the audit is conducted smoothly.
“We will keep on monitoring the state based on the information that is provided and the analysis that we do.’’
According to him, the audit will be a continuous exercise in ensuring that Nigeria effectively and consistently implements the critical elements of a safety oversight system.
Responding, the Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, said the ultimate goal of USOAP was to promote global aviation safety through regular audit of safety oversight systems in all ICAO member states.
Usman said it was aimed at determining the state’s level of implementation of ICAO’s safety-related Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) with associated procedures and guidance material.
He said: “I wish to state unequivocally that Nigeria is absolutely ready for the exercise. The NCAA has left no stone unturned and all hands are put on deck to ensure adequate preparation.
“There has been a very encouraging cooperation and working relationship between all the relevant agencies and the regulatory authority towards a successful outing.’’
The director-general expressed optimism that the audit would be a success like similar past exercises.
Nigeria had scored over 90 per cent in the counterpart ICAO Security Audit in June 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the audit is expected to end on March 25, where there will be a debriefing and presentation of the draft audit result.
ICAO is a specialised agency of the UN. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
Its headquarters is located in Montreal, Canada and it has seven regional offices worldwide.
ICAO’s regional office in Western and Central Africa is in Dakar, Senegal.
The organisation elected a Nigerian, Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, by acclamation, as its Council President in 2013 and his three-year tenure would expire on Dec. 31, 2016.
The ICAO Council adopts standards and recommended practices concerning air navigation, its mandate includes flight inspection, prevention of unlawful interference, and facilitation of border-crossing procedures for international civil aviation.
ICAO defines the protocols for air accident investigation followed by transport safety authorities in countries signatory to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
(culled from naija247news.com)
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