FAAN Award for DANA Air, this must be a JOKE

Following the ill fated crash of June 13, 2012 Dana Boeing MD-83 plane, a lot of agitations have trailed the company on their best practices on safety.

Some of the Customers flying Dana flights said safety was a major challenge; Governor Goodwill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom categorically said "he called the attention of Dana authority to the airworthiness of their airplanes so as not to endanger the lives of Nigerians". This was a call he made to the airline authority after his experience when Dana aircraft enroute Lagos from Uyo had technical problems that led to it hovering for hours before finally landed.

 

The petitions (I signed one written by Late Levi Ajunoma's son) and uproars from the families of victims is still very fresh in our memories following the given back of Dana's license that was early revoked by Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) just immediately after the crash.

 

The compensation issues has not been totally resolved, the legal tussle on the coroner's inquest is still pending in court.

 

I woke up this early Monday morning to read in all major newspapers available that FAAN last weekend awarded Dana airline the best domestic carrier for 2011. (Just thinking this must be some sort of joke!) I hope this is not April fool in October.

 

If this is real, I think one need to sincerely ask the authority in FAAN the following questions:

-What is the yardstick for an airline to deserve this prestigious award? (#mywish)

-Who are the panelists for this award?

-What are the pedigrees of the members on this panel?

-What is their (panelists) training and where are they trained?

-Does the customers flying the local carriers have a say in this awards or are they giving voting option?

 

-Is this award made public so as to have their opinion on this award? (I might be rambling)

 

 

You'll probably be wondering if I’m cross examining the FAAN authority? I should state here that I'm confused like most Nigerians on this award and the factors that led to it given.

 

Having read what the Regional General Manager of FAAN, Mr. Christopher Batoure said that the airline excelled amongst all domestic carriers in 2011 hence they need to encourage them.

 

Batoure said, “They were selected as the best considering their passenger load, the frequency of their landings and take offs and their response to payment of bills in 2011. They had the best volume, they were punctual in their operations and they had an excellent service discharge.” (at least we now know that safety measure is not part of  the criteria used for this award)

 

One might be confuse that is there any moral justification on the part of FAAN on given this award which is some sort of node of well done to Dana or that, should Dana airline have shown some respect and empathy to the dead  by rejecting this awards even if they truly deserve it?

 

I will finally ask; are the authorities using this strategy to launch DANA back into business? (Anything happens in Naija)
 

I know that Nigerians and the rest of the world are watching. Definitely this might not be the end of this twist.

 

Happy New Week Peeps!

 

One Long week, Too many tears

Life is most times full of irony but one major lesson I've learnt  this past few days is to sincerely show absolute love to people that matter most in my life.

Sunday June 3, 2012 started like any other Sundays, no light to enjoy my weekend to the fullest, all I had was my old friend (I mean my mum), she is fun to be with but will sometimes not allow you enjoy your quite sleep because of the song from her transistor radio.

If she is not gisting with you, she will gladly be relaying events as they unfold on her radio to you, sometimes I enjoy it and most time I just want to be left alone to enjoy my quite moment on my maracana stadium (my bed) which is usually my comfort zone.

After my lunch and prayer, I decided to just quietly retire to my zone when I heard her knock on my door, reluctantly I asked her in and as usually she said with a sad face that it was just reported that a plane crashed in Lagos with 50 people on board, I’m quite sure the shock did not give her the courage to listen well to the exact number.

Within 20 minutes of this shocking news which has put me into a jumble, calls started coming from everywhere and from everyone I know asking with concern to know my where about, I also sent out call to my colleagues to also find out where they were. After 45 minutes we had comprehensive news from radio Lagos given the figures at 183 people on board.

In my state of confusion I wondered, how will one explain calamity of this magnitude on a nation, families and friends just in a day. I do not have any direct relations with people on board but I’m quite sure I will have a friends/friends or friends’ friend who will probably have a family member, friends or colleagues.

As a nation we have witnessed so many of this crashes in the past without appropriate investigation from the authority saddled with such responsibility, oh my God how do you console a family who lost 6 people in a day in to this unfortunate incident – this is just too much too bear.

Not only this crash, on Thursday Ibadan expressway also witnessed a major accident where it was reported that more than hundreds of people lost their life and vehicles. No thanks to petrol tankers whose trucks gutted fire, also that weekend Boko Haram struck and killed over 20 people. Why do we deliberately shed blood and kill beautiful and innocent people that we can’t create? Will God be ever happy with us?

 As I write this I remember Dr. Livi Ajunoma and his rested program on Nigeria Television Authority “Livi Ajonuma Live on NTA” his charming aura on his program then is what I can’t forget in an hurry, the picture of the air hostesses I saw made my heart bleeds. Are this wonderful people all gone? 

What more can I say than to say NCAA and federal government should do all within their power to get to the root of this so that Nigerians will see flying as the safety option of transportation, the familyiesof the all people on DANA air on that unfaithfully Sunday get adequate compensation without delay and the Iju-Ishaga residents who life’s and properties were affected should also get adequate attention and compensation.

To all the little angels, adorable grannies, beautiful brothers and sisters and to Vivian the bride to be but never was, I say may God grant you all eternal rest and peace. Amen!