• Experts flay call for Oduah's removal
Minister of Culture and Tourism Edem Duke has called on the Ondo State Government and the family of former Governor Olusegun Agagu to stop trading blames over who hired the Associated Airline plane that crashed last Thursday.
Duke spoke yesterday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, when he led the Federal Government delegates to condole with the family of former Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae, whose son, Deji, was among the victims of the plane crash.
Deji was the Commission for Culture and Tourism before he died in the crash.
Stressing that this is not an appropriate time to apportion blame, the minister urged all parties not to dissipate their energy in apportioning blames over the incident, but should support stakeholders to improve the aviation sector.
While sympathising with Chief Falae and the state government, Duke described the late Deji as a talented young and promising politician.
He, however, urged the family and the people of the state to take solace in God over the untimely death of the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, saying no one could query God as He knows the best and prayed that God would grant the family the fortunate to bear the loss.
Other members of the delegation include Minister of Communication, Mrs. Omobola Johnson; Dr Pius Osunyikanmi and a Director in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, George Offot.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Chief Falae's eldest son, Dapo, thanked the delegates for the visit.
He said though Deji's stay on earth was short, but his imprint is undeniable.
According to him, the late Deji dedicated his life to putting smiles on the face of others.
Dapo said: "Deji believes in getting involved in moving the country to a greater height and solving many problems hindering the nation's development Within a short period Deji expanded the scope of his ministry."
Deji was the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Ondo State who led the state government's delegation to accompany the body of the former governor from Lagos to Akure for the final burial.
Meanwhile, some aviation experts have kicked against the call for the removal of Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, over the last week's accident involving Embraer 120 aircraft at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.
The experts insisted that the removal of Oduah would not solve air crashes in the country, but called for concerted effort to prevent plane crashes.
An Aviation Security Consultant, Capt. Balarabe Usman, said the call for Oduah removal was unrealistic because there was no where it is written in the nation's constitution that a minister should be removed after a crash.
He said rather than call for the removal of Oduah, stakeholders and professionals in the aviation sector should come together to brainstorm on how to prevent rashes in future.
Usman said: "I know that some people are not happy with Mrs. Oduah because of the radical things she did when she was appointed as minister. I know that some people are unhappy with her jolting the status quo, but to be sincere those changes she made are necessary for the sector to move forward."
Claiming that there are more air crashes in the United States than any other part of the world, the consultant said the country was said to have the highest safety record in the global aviation sector.
He said: "Any minister that wants to develop any sector in this country must jolt the status quo in order to move forward. And of course, you must have a lot of opposition; those who were benefiting from the old system you want to change.
"If you go to the United States National Transport Board website, you will see that the average number of accidents involving civil aviation aircraft every month is about 25. I can tell you and you can confirm this that in January 2013, there were 30 accidents with 62 fatalities; in February there were 28 accidents with 50 fatalities; in March 31 accidents with 59 fatalities and in April, 30 accidents with 44 fatalities.
"Also in May, there were 30 accidents with 48 fatalities; June 30 accidents with 74 fatalities. Also in July, there were 31 accidents with 54 fatalities; in August there were 30 accidents with 55 fatalities; in September there were 24 accidents with 21 fatalities and in October, by the 9th of this month there were four non-fatal accidents already."
Usman, who was a former director of Aviation Security in the Federal airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), noted that most of these were general aviation accidents, including charter operations, private air services and few airliners, adding that there are thousands of aircraft flying over American airspace, unlike in Nigeria.
Besides, President of Centre for Aviation Safety and Research, (CASR), Mr. Sheri Kyari, said those clamouring for the removal of the minister did not wish to face the truth, stressing that the standard in different parts of the world and in accordance to the regulation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, (ICAO) is the direct responsibility of aircraft safety lies with the airline, which should have it as priority that it conducts safe operation.
Kyari said: "Those clamouring for the removal of Oduah are saying such out of sentiments. Until the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) comes out with its findings, it will be wrong to impose the blame of the crash on anyone."
Source: Plane crash: Ondo, Agagu's family asked to stop trading blames (http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/plane-crash-ondo-agagus-family-asked-to-stop-trading-blames/)