IATA, NCAA charge African countries on safety standards

AFRICAN countries have been charged to accelerate the implementation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) safety-related standards and recommended practices (SARPS) in line with the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), to further lift up the now improving global accident rating of countries in the continent.

This was part of the resolutions reached by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) during IATA’s consultative visit to the Nigerian aviation regulatory agency in Lagos yesterday.

IATA represented by the African and Middle-East Director of Safety and Flight Operation, Tanja Grobotek noted that only 60 per cent of countries in Africa has implemented the SARPS agreement, stressing that the continent cannot afford any measure that could reverse the recent gains, adding that the challenge is how to work hard to improve on it.

“Since the Abuja Declaration’s adoption in 2012, Africa’s safety performance has improved significantly. Notwithstanding these important and valuable gains, when measured proportionally, the continent continues to have the world’s highest hull-loss rate per million flights.”, Grobotek remarked.

Grobotek observed that the gains recorded by Africa in the recent rating did not come easy and that this had been achieved through the efforts of some committed countries among which he pointed out, Nigeria stood out. “African safety is moving in the right direction thanks to the work done by a number of African nations including Nigeria who have worked hard to raise awareness of the importance of implementing the Abuja Declaration.

“In 2015, we saw safety on the continent improve compared to the five-year accident rate for both jet and turboprop hull losses. Nevertheless, the challenges of bringing Africa in line with global performance remain,” she explained.
She pledged the readiness and commitment of the global body to help African countries implement all measures and standards that would continue to promote air-transport’s safety.

According to her, “IATA remains focused on its commitment to actively contribute its expertise and resources to help African Nations implement the standards outlined in the Abuja Declaration. One such area is the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), a proven tool for raising safety. IATA has worked with a number of airlines in Africa to bring them onto the IOSA registry. Eleven have joined since the Abuja Declaration was signed, which means 31 airlines from sub-Saharan Africa now benefit from this rigorous safety audit.”

The two agencies pledged to collaborate in developing and rolling out measures that would enhance the attainment of African Union’s 2012 Abuja Declaration on Aviation Safety in Africa.

The Director General of the NCAA, Captain Muhtar Usman lauded the endorsement of the Abuja Declaration by IATA, describing it as “one of the most significant steps taken to boost aviation safety and development on the African continent”.