By Gabriel Agbeja

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Thursday conducted a multi- agency aircraft crash mock exercise for the recertification of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport(NAIA), Abuja.

The exercise which took place at the airport, Mr John Tayo, the NAMA Director of Air Traffic Service, said it was in compliance with requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Tayo, who was represented by Mr Agoro Abayomi, Acting General-Manager of Search and Rescue at NAMA, said the exercise was a vital component of collective commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety and emergency preparedness.

According to him, safety of passengers, crew, and aircraft remains paramount and non-negotiable as the exercises are designed to test level of readiness, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and evaluate response strategies in the event of an aircraft emergency.

“Our overarching goal is clear: to ensure that, should a real-life incident occur, we are fully prepared to respond swiftly, effectively, and in a coordinated manner that saves lives and minimises damage.

“I would like to commend all the agencies represented here today, for your  unwavering collaboration and dedication to the cause of aviation safety,“ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the agencies resent the exercise included, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Others are, the Nigerian Air Force, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Fire and Rescue Services,  Medical Teams, Security Agencies, and other partners.

Tayo, who said that the presence of the stakeholders underscored aviation safety as a shared responsibility, added that only through unity of purpose and seamless cooperation could a nation achieve excellence in emergency response systems.

“Let me also extend my appreciation to the planning committee and all personnel who have worked diligently to make this exercise possible.

*Your professionalism and commitment are truly commendable.

“As we proceed with this debriefing, I encourage all participants to approach it with utmost seriousness, treating it as a real-life scenario.

“Let us identify strengths, address areas for improvement, and consolidate lessons learned, because our preparedness today is what guarantees safety tomorrow, “ he said.

Also speaking, Mr Macel Onwuakpa, the Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator at the Abuja airport, said the search and rescue mock exercise was a preparation for ICAO auditing.

“ For the airport to remain operational, there is what we call auditing from the ICAO.

“The part of the auditing is to ensure that we conduct this type of search and rescue exercise.

“The purpose is to check the response of our stakeholders, how they would do their jobs professionally at the crash site.  It is one of the requirements.

“So, for you to get certification from ICAO, this type of exercise needed to be done which we have done here today in preparation for that auditing coming,” he said

According to him, the exercise itself is not to ascribe blame to any stakeholders but to get set in case of any real emergency.

He added that the observed gaps would be addressed during table talk. (NAN)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanm