To avert air disasters, the House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate cases of aviation fuel contamination.
The House gave the yet-to-be-constituted committee the mandate to investigate the increasing incidences of aviation fuel contamination and possible non-adherence to standard operating procedures by players in the aviation industry.
This resolution followed a motion of matter of urgent importance moved by Tunji Olawuyi (APC, Kwara) during plenary on Thursday.
In May, PREMIUM TIMES reported how panic erupted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after an aircraft belonging to Max Air crash-landed on the runway of the airport.
On 13 July, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) suspended Max Air Boeing 737 ( parts A3 and D43) after an investigation by the regulating authorities revealed that there was contamination of the main fuel tanks of aircraft B737-300.
Moving the motion, Mr Olawuyi explained the circumstances that led to the rough landing at the airport.
He noted that the landing could also be linked to possible non-adherence to standard operating procedures and industry best practices in the aviation oil industry.
“There have been many flight accidents in history caused by fuel contamination resulting in abnormal operation of aircraft engines and water as a major contaminant,” Mr Olawuyi said.
He added that “In recent times, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been receiving series of mandatory occurrence reports from airlines and other aircraft operators with issues related to water being found in the aircraft fuel tank of the aircraft.”
The lawmaker also accused the regulatory authorities in the aviation sector of dropping the ball in ensuring safety.
“Nigerian regulatory agencies in the aviation oil industry have demonstrated a lack of capacity and failed to ensure certification of appropriate specification and proper handling of fuels to remain essentially free of harmful contaminants during production, transportation and distribution while putting into cognisance that the specifications and parameters against which fuel quality measured are within allowable limits and ensure that deviations from the specifications are permitted,” he said.
The motion was taken without debate, and the committee was given eight weeks to deliver a report for further legislative action.
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