By Adamu Yusuf
The Senate has considered a bill seeking to strengthen the institutional independence, operational autonomy and technical capacity of Nigeria’s safety investigation authority to improve investigations into transportation accidents and incidents.
Leading the debate, the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, said the proposed amendments would enable the Bureau to conduct investigations objectively and impartially, without undue interference, while strengthening its institutional framework and operational efficiency.
He explained that the bill seeks to remove certain ministerial approval and recommendation requirements in the Bureau’s appointment and administrative processes to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks.
It also provides for the appointment of directors with relevant technical and specialised expertise to enhance investigations across different modes of transportation.
Senator Bamidele added that the proposed legislation would strengthen accountability by requiring the submission of audited accounts of relevant funds, alongside the auditor’s report, to the National Assembly for legislative oversight.
It also proposes changes to specified administrative approval procedures and relevant provisions of the principal Act.
He said the broader objective was to improve the quality and credibility of safety investigations and ensure that lessons learnt from accidents and incidents translated into practical preventive measures, while preserving the oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly and applicable legal safeguards.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District, expressed reservations about amending the existing law before the causes of recent aircraft crashes had been established through official investigation reports.
Senator Oshiomhole argued that proceeding with the amendments before the reports were available could create the impression that the accidents resulted from deficiencies in the existing legal framework, rather than possible failures in the implementation of aviation safety regulations.
He stressed that the investigation reports should establish whether the incidents resulted from external interference, regulatory lapses or failures by relevant authorities responsible for licensing, certification and determining aircraft airworthiness.
He added that granting an agency additional powers would not necessarily improve aviation safety unless those powers were exercised effectively and responsibly.
Responding, Senate President Godswill Akpabio explained that the bill was at the second-reading stage, when lawmakers consider its general principles before referring it to the relevant committee for detailed examination.
He assured Senator Oshiomhole that his concerns had been noted and expressed the expectation that the accident investigation reports would be available by the time the bill returned for further consideration.
The Senate President subsequently put the bill to a voice vote, and the majority of Senators supported its second reading, allowing it to proceed to the next stage of legislative consideration.
Editing by Khadija Kubau
