10 May 2004
editorial
March 12, 2004, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the orders of Aviation Minister, Isa Yuguda, grounded Slok Air and the IRS Airlines for sundry offences. IRS was grounded for doing damage to certain airport facilities while Slok Airlines had its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and the Air Traffic Licence (ATL) revoked for two offences.
One, that the sponsors of the airline allegedly brought in four Boeing 737-200 aircraft instead of the two declared on the operation document. Two, that one of Slok Airlines' pilots violated the weather minima of 200m landing at Owerri Airport on March 5, 2004 thereby endangering lives of the passengers.
IRS has since got a reprieve and is back to business. Slok Airlines with links to Governor Uzor Orji Kalu, a torn in the flesh of his own party, PDP, and associates, has remained grounded ever since. Now, no right thinking persons will not frown at the indiscretion of a dare devil pilot who breached weather instructions in a nation whose history is replete with aviation disasters. You cannot be too careful in our experience. So, such carelessness deserves sanctions.
The same applies to the alleged false declaration by the sponsors of this airline about its investment portfolio. Partial disclosure does not make for proper accountability, especially as the corporate citizen must pay tax on its declarations. Again, such dishonesty, if indeed it took place, must be sanctioned.
But that is as far as it goes.
There are specific sanctions for these infractions in aviation business here. For instance, any pilot flying against the Air Traffic Controllers' warning as it happened on March 5, 2004, according to NASI (an aviation safety group) to pay a fine of N50,000.00 only and if that is insufficient, will have its licence withdrawn. That is, the care-free person suffers personally for the irresponsible conduct of endangering lives of his passengers.
As for false declaration, ONLY the undeclared aircraft could have been grounded.
But what do we have in the present situation? The offending pilot has not been made an example to others and penalised according to law; the undeclared aircraft have not been grounded according to the law. Instead, the entire business is being crippled with consequent loss of revenue to the investors (foreign partners inclusive) and starvation to the families and dependants of the employees of the airline.
Vanguard will not subscribe to insinuations by people that the grounding of Slok Air was a vindictive one. We are aware that Governor Orji Kalu, who owns majority shares in Slok Air, had a disagreement with Tony Anenih, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
We hope this is not a polity where power would be used as a tool of political witch-hunting of perceived enemies of those in power or their friends. Wrongdoings must be sanctioned to correct and not destroy. So partisan politics should not be taken into the arena of business. Otherwise, foreign investors wishing to go into partnership with Nigerians would be scared away. Our government should create an investor-friendly atmosphere for all irrespective of political affiliation or loyalty.
Vanguard calls for a restoration of life to Slok Air if it has fulfilled the requirements and atoned for its sins. Equity follows the law if it is fair and just. The three month delay in dealing with matters concerning Slok Airline is suspicious.
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