By Linus Aleke
The Nigeria Air Force (NAF), Wednesday said, it is currently examining prevalent and evolving safety challenges to enable it to adopt safety processes to uphold high safety standards in all its activities.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao said this at the ongoing yearly routine NAF Safety Review Board (SRB), sitting in Lagos.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet in a statement said the review board meeting chaired by the CAS, is usually held primarily to review safety issues in the NAF with the aim of appraising the progress made so far in furtherance of efforts to enhance safety practices.
Air Marshal Amao said the meeting was expected to enable members to proffer realistic and lasting solutions to NAF safety-related issues in operations, maintenance, health and environmental practices.
The CAS also said, beyond the discussions dwelling on safety in air operations, the year 2022 safety meeting must also deliberate on health and environmental safety measures and strategies, bearing in mind the consequences of neglecting the working and living environments as well as poor personal health management.
He directed the Chief of Standards and Evaluation to ensure that all NAF units have at least a safety-trained officer to mitigate the dangers associated with poor safety management and procedures.
Air Marshal Amao, reiterated the need for all NAF pilots and aircrew to continue to be updated with evolving safety measures and ensure they keep abreast with new safety innovations in line with best international practices.
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While acknowledging that safety in the NAF remains a shared responsibility that requires synergy amongst personnel, the CAS stressed the need for all to understand that safety demands constant vigilance which the NAF is determined to enforce.
He noted that the NAF has continued to improve safety culture through the enhancement of safety education through the NAF Institute of Safety (NAFIS), which has been reinvigorated to conduct broad-based training and ensure that skilled personnel implement NAF safety strategies and processes.
The CAS enjoined the gathering to continue to accord safety the highest priority it deserves in their deliberation during the meeting.
The SRB meeting, which is coming barely a month after the NAF Operations Seminar held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where the CAS reemphasized the need for NAF pilots to take extra safety precautions and measures to safeguard and avoid accidental air strikes on civilian lives and properties, is expected to dovetail into a 2-day Safety Seminar from 24-25 November 2022.
