Keyamo, Chief of the Air Staff, partner in the civil-military aviation safety dichotomy

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, have deepened collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in the areas of aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capability development.

The agreement was reached on Wednesday in Abuja, when the minister paid a condolence visit to the Chief of Air Staff following the tragic Nigerian Air Force (NAF) plane crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

The minister, in a statement signed by Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, expressed deep solidarity with the Nigerian Air Force, saying the crash was a national tragedy.

Keyamo praised the gallantry and sacrifices of the men and women of the Air Force.

“We appreciate the Air Force. We appreciate the efforts of the gallant men and women of the Air Force and what they do for the country,” he said.

He said tragedies in aviation make no distinction between military and civilian operators.

Keyamo noted that both sectors served the same country and protected the same citizens.

According to him, the incident has reinforced the need for greater cooperation and sharing of expertise between the two sides.

“It’s one country, one people. When a disaster happens, it affects everyone. There were civilians in that plane crash and when there is a plane crash even in civil aviation, there can be military personnel,” Keyamo said.

The minister noted that the Nigerian Air Force relies on civil aviation infrastructure, particularly air traffic control, and that the existing relationship should be expanded into a more structured partnership.

He said he had already reached out to the NCAA general manager and facilitated direct communication between NCAA leadership and the chief of air staff.

Keyamo said a joint committee involving the NCAA and the Nigerian Air Force would be established to facilitate collaboration on airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety measures.

He assured the Chief of Air Staff that Nigerian Air Force personnel will have access to relevant training opportunities undertaken by civil aviation authorities.

“There’s no reason why we can’t take some names from the Air Force. We have a lot of training to do, so there’s no reason why we can’t do that,” he said.

The minister said the Nigerian Air Force possesses specialized skills that would be beneficial to the civil aviation sector.

He said the proposed relationship represents a mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and experience.

“This is a kind of cross-pollination and symbiotic relationship that we have decided to build for the life safety of Nigerians,” Keyamo said.

In response, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, described the minister’s gesture as a demonstration of the strong relationship that has developed between the civil and military aviation sectors under his leadership.

The Air Force Chief of Staff said both institutions have already started discussions on a framework that would enable civil aviation personnel to contribute to the safety of the Air Force environment.

He said that in the areas of airworthiness and certification, Air Force personnel will contribute their expertise to the civil aviation sector where required.

“We both agree on the need to take the aviation industry, both military and civilian, to the next level.

“We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a mixture of each other,” he said.