NSIB, NCAA Form Alliance To Support Aircraft Accident Victims And Their Families In Accordance With ICAO
By Asuquo Nuwak
NSIB, NCAA Form Alliance To Support Aircraft Accident Victims And Their Families In Accordance With ICAO
In an effort to support aircraft accident victims and their families in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) policy, the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have commenced discussions on strengthening cooperation to support aircraft accident victims and their families, as Nigeria seeks to align its emergency response framework with international aviation standards.
Accordingly, the discussions took place in Abuja during a meeting between the National Family Assistance Committee, coordinated by the NSIB, and officials of the NCAA.
According to the organisations, the engagement is focused on improving institutional coordination, capacity building and the implementation of Family Assistance programmes within Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Additionally, the NSIB delegation was led by the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Funke Adebayo-Arowojobe, while the NCAA team was also led by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu.
At the meeting, Mrs Adebayo-Arowojobe disclosed that the National Family Assistance Coordination Committee operates within a multimodal transportation framework, covering aviation, marine, rail and other transport sectors.
She further noted that the engagement with the NCAA focused specifically on strengthening collaboration in aviation disaster victim and family assistance.
However, she said discussions covered the objectives of the Family Assistance Programme, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) policy on assistance to aircraft accident victims and their families, the mandate of the National Family Assistance Coordination Committee, the statutory role of the NSIB in aviation disaster victim and family assistance, the complementary role of the NCAA and areas for future collaboration.
Mrs Adebayo-Arowojobe described Family Assistance as an essential component of transportation safety management and emergency response.
Aside from this, she said the programme is designed to provide coordinated institutional support that preserves the dignity of victims, ensures that families receive timely and accurate information, facilitates access to essential services and promotes compassionate engagement throughout the post-occurrence process.
Indeed, she said that effective implementation requires sustained collaboration among transportation agencies and adherence to international best practices.
Mr. Achimugu, who responded on behalf of the NCAA, welcomed the initiative and expressed the Authority’s readiness to work closely with the NSIB in advancing Family Assistance within Nigeria’s aviation sector.
He identified continuous training and retraining of personnel as a key requirement for successful implementation, stressing that capacity development is necessary to ensure agencies remain prepared to provide professional and coordinated support whenever the need arises.
It is important to note that the meeting also identified practical areas for collaboration, including joint capacity building programmes, knowledge sharing, stakeholder sensitisation and the development of sustainable mechanisms for implementing Family Assistance initiatives in line with international standards.
He pointed out that Family Assistance has become an increasingly important aspect of aviation safety worldwide, as the cooperation between NSIB and NCAA is expected to help establish clearer institutional procedures for supporting families affected by aviation accidents, while strengthening Nigeria’s preparedness to respond to future emergencies in line with international best practice.
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