by Akan Ido

Dana Airways has received a new operating licence from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) exactly six months and two days after its aircraft crashed on the outskirts of Lagos killing 163 people.

The Airline Operating Certificate (AOC) was presented to the managing director of the airline company, Jacky Hathiramani, by Harold Demuren, the director general of the NCAA at the head office of the regulatory agency at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

The NCAA boss explained that the airline would not be allowed to fly until it concludes the payment of the remaining 70 per cent compensation to the families of the crash victims.

Some of the families have reportedly received 30 per cent compensation.

Demuren said, “When it comes to safety, we don’t know anybody. We must do it right. You must achieve 100 per cent payment of compensation to the victims’ families. The money is with the insurance companies in London, so Dana must pay. We must show evidence that the system works.”

Some of the victims’ families, Dana said, were experiencing delay in getting the required letter of administration from the Lagos and Abuja High Courts, but Demuren said the regulatory agency had intervened to fast-track the process, assuring that the letter would be released to more families of the victims very soon.

“Dana must begin payment of 100 per cent compensation before they will be released to fly. They said five people had received the letter of administration. As soon as they begin payment of the remaining 70 per cent of the compensation to those who have received the letter of administration, we will start considering them for resumption of flights,” he added.

The NCAA boss said the renewal of the airline’s AOC was done in line with the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations agency that regulates the aviation industry globally.