Govs express worry over plane crashes

Members of the Nigeria Governors Forum have expressed concern over the spate of crashes in the aviation sector.
The governors, who at their meeting in Abuja Wednesday night, which ended in the early hours of Thursday, called for a holistic approach to arrest the parlous state of the sector.
The forum expressed concern over the plane crash involving Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State and some of his aides on October 25, and prayed for their speedy recovery.
In a communiqué read by their chairman, who is also the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, they said the forum would engage stakeholders at the national level to address the challenges in that sector.
The communique said in part, “Upon comprehensive discussion of the present state of the aviation industry, members of the forum observed that there is a need for a holistic approach to arrest the dwindling state of the aviation sector.
“Forum expressed deep concern over the unfortunate air crash accident involving the Governor of Taraba State, Mr. Danbaba Suntai, who is presently receiving treatment in Germany.”
Since his transfer to Germany for treatment, many Nigerians have been calling for overseas treatment for the aides of the governor who are being treated at the National Hospital, Abuja.
The Forum also expressed regret over the recent acts of violence in Borno and Kaduna states and mandated its security committee to find a lasting solution to the menace.
The Forum at its meeting of October 18, constituted a committee to organise a security conference.
Members of the committee include governors of Benue (Chairman), Edo, Kaduna, Ekiti, Borno and Abia states.
The Forum commended the ongoing efforts of members to eradicate polio from their states.
It expressed its commitment to pursuing integrated interventions to eradicate the polio scourge from the country by December 2013, instead of the initial 2015 deadline.
Amaechi said the Forum was happy with the re-election of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko as governor of Ondo State at the just concluded state governorship election.
Among the governors at the meeting were those from Rivers, Delta, Cross River, Ondo, Anambra, Kaduna, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kebbi, Benue, Taraba, Enugu, Jigawa and Abia states.

The Punch