Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has disclosed that the 2022 Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) audit found Dana Air financially and economically unfit to fly, noting several infractions during his predecessor’s term.
Keyamo disclosed this during an interview on the ‘Politics Today’ programme on Channels Television on Thursday, when asked about the health status of Dana Air in the light of the recent suspension by NCAA over runway incursion incident at the Lagos airport on Tuesday.
He stated that before his tenure as Minister, Dana Air had consistently faced flight-related incidents in the past. He highlighted the 2018 incident where a door on one of Dana Air’s aircraft fell off shortly after landing, along with other infractions recorded against the airline.
- “So, there were internal reports before I came which noted series of infractions by Dana Air.
- “The conclusion of the report was they (Dana Air) were not healthy enough to fly,” the Aviation Minister said.
More insights
Pressing for clarity, the anchor asked the Aviation Minister how the airline was operating before its recent suspension. Keyamo revealed that the specifics of how the airline managed to regain its license to operate remain unclear to him, because, normally, it would not have been able to do so.
- “How they (Dana Air) did it.
- “How thoroughly they did it.
- “Before they were given the okay to start flying again.
- “We don’t know.
- “They have not convinced me,” Keyamo explained, regarding how the airline regained its license to operate.
Furthermore, the Aviation Minister stated that he will actively supervise regulatory bodies, such as the NCAA, particularly with the recent launch of Dana Air’s financial and safety audit.
He stressed his commitment to ensuring these investigations are conducted properly, free from complicity and negligence, to guarantee the safety of the flying public.
Recommended reading: Dana Air flight skids off runway at Lagos airport, no injuries reported
What you should know
- The 2022 NCAA audit revealed that Dana Air’s operational health was critically compromised, leading to the suspension of its air transport and operator certificates.
- One key finding of the audit was that financial troubles at Dana Air peaked as liabilities overwhelmed assets, resulting in the suspension of crucial aviation certificates.
- Another critical finding from the audit indicated that Dana Air had been dealing with negative equity since 2018, a persistent financial struggle that ultimately led to the suspension of its operating licenses in 2022.
