Pilot grounded Oshiomhole’s helicopter, NAMA claims

AS controversy continues to greet the circumstances leading to the grounding of the OAS helicopter that was billed to carry Governor Adams Oshiomhole at Benin Airport Friday, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), on Saturday, insisted that it was actually the pilot of the plane that grounded himself.

Contrary to the insinuation that NAMA carried out the action based on political vendetta, the agency’s Managing Director, Nnamdi Udoh, said the agency carried out the action to protect the governor and any occupant on board, in line with global standard.

At a joint press conference held at the NAMA headquarters in Lagos, the agency’s boss who spoke through the Director of Engineering, Ifeanyi Nwankwo, said the issue on ground should not be given any political colouration.

NAMA insisted that its action on the issue was done professionally in line with international safety rules and standards without any political undertone.

The agency also explained that since the new aviation policy came on board in April, that the Presidential fleet, NAF 001, that flies President Goodluck Jonathan around had been complying with the procedures and wondered why someone else would not comply with the new directive.

NAMA, while stating that accident is no respecter of anybody, vowed to ensure total safety of aircraft and occupiers within the Nigerian airspace.

Besides, the airspace manager of Benin Airport, Mr Lawrence Okoye, alleged that immediately Governor Oshiomhole left the scene, the pilot came to him and appealed to him not to file the report to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, an appeal he alleged he declined.

According to Okoye, when the pilot asked for clearance for take-off and was asked for the flight plan and manifest but rather than produce this, he simply replied, “I have the governor onboard.”

NAMA blamed the pilot of the helicopter for flagrant disobedience of safety rules and standards, stressing that such rule was recognised worldwide.

Also the General Manager, Public Affairs, NAMA, Mr. Supo Atobatele, told reporters that the helicopter was on ground at the Benin Government House for 55 minutes before the pilot was advised to come to the airport to file a flight plan and submit documents.

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