The Nigerian Airspace has received a boost as the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency NAMA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and renewed partnership to promote air safety.
The General Manager, Public Afffairs, NSIB, Tunji Oketunbi in a statement says, the main purpose of the agreement to consolidate the existing relationship between NSIB and NAMA on the exchange of information, and data sharing during occurrences, among others, that can help in the quality and timeliness of investigation of air mishaps in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO Annex 13 and 19 of the 1994 Chicago convention on International Civil Aviation.
The MoU was signed today in Abuja in line with their inter agency collaboration agenda.
Also included in the MoU was the flexibility in all transactions with the mutual agreement of both agencies, upholding the values of cooperation, honesty, mutual respect, openness and professionalism.
NSIB and NAMA while signing the deal noted that though the MoU is not legally binding, but the two agencies however agreed to perform their respective functions in a manner consistent with the values and principles of the agreement.
The NSIB DG, Engr. Akin Olateru signed on behalf of NSIB, while NAMA Managing Director/CEO Engr. Odunowo Tayib Mohammed, put pen on paper for his Agency.
Olateru said, “Collaboration remains the centre point of our drive towards enthroning safety in the aviation industry. We remain committed to promoting safety in the aviation industry to the point of attaining and maintaining zero accident.”
”We, however, cannot do it alone. That is why we have chosen the path of collaboration with agencies and institutions with similar objectives.”He commended NAMA management for rising to the occasion by signing the agreement.
It would be recalled that, the NSIB recently signed a MoU with Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on cooperation during emergencies even as the agency has signed similar agreements with various agencies and institutions within and outside the country.