Fuel contamination: NCAA sets up committee to review, audit

Musa Nuhu, the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has set up a Joint committee to audit all fuelers, fueling facilities and equipment from the fuel source to the fueling point into the aircraft.

This is just as he assured Nigerians that the recommendations from this committee would be fully implemented in the interest of the public and safe air travel in Nigeria.

The committee members comprise the NCAA, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) that issue licences, and the Department of State Security (DSS).

Nuhu said the Committee’s duties are to identify all the root causes and proffer solutions and recommendations to improve the safety level in Nigeria’s aviation industry.

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Nuhu, who was represented at the inauguration of the committee by Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, Director, Operations, Licensing & Training Standards, NCAA, said the committee became necessary following the recent series of incidents relating to fuel contamination, in particular, that of Max Air fuel contamination in Yola that has generated a lot of attention in the country and all over the world.

He said the committee will conduct a holistic review and audit all fuelers, fueling facilities and equipment from the initial fuel source to the fueling point into the aircraft.

Nuhu urged committee members to see this job as a national assignment that must be taken with all the seriousness that it deserves.

“You must not leave any stone unturned and come up with recommendations that would help prevent future occurrence and improve the level of safety in the industry”.

He added that the Terms of Reference (TOR) have been spelt out, which would see the committee members tour nationwide to ensure compliance with all regulatory and safety requirements.

“The Authority’s foremost responsibility is to ensure the safety of aviation activities in Nigeria, which we have continued to provide and would not relent on this effort towards achieving the highest level of safety in this sector.

“The Presidency and the Honourable Minister have directed that this investigation must be brought to a logical conclusion in the interest of the Nigerian populace”, he added.

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The DGCA noted that the collaboration with NMPDRA has yielded positive results. This has led to identifying all non-licensed fuelers and those with expired licenses in Nigeria, which has led to suspending their activities at the airport.

The authority also mentioned that surveillance had been heightened to ensure complete and full compliance, adding that an All Operators Letter (AOL) has been issued, mandating all operators to comply with all requirements for fueling as approved.