The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday mourned the death of two citizens, Ambassador Abiodun Bashua and Professor Pius Adesanmi, who died in the Ethiopian airline crash that occurred in Bishoftu, off Addis Ababa on March 10.
To keep the country’s airspace safer from accidents, the Senate commended the federal government for banning the Boeing 737 MAX 8 series pending the outcome of international investigations and tasked Nigeria’s aviation authorities to ensure that all aircrafts’ operating within Nigeria are airworthy.
Federal lawmaker representing the commercial city of Lagos, Senator Gbenga Ashafa sponsored the bill. He is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport.
“The two Nigerians who lost their lives were no ordinary citizens as the two of them distinguished themselves in their various fields and till their death were worthy Ambassadors of Nigeria in the Diaspora,” said Senator Ashafa in his lead debate while expressing sadness over the loss.
The lawmaker observed that it was not the first time that a Boeing 737 Max 8 series aircraft had crashed under similar circumstances. He commended the Minister for Transportation (Aviation) Senator Hadi Sirika for the restriction placed on the use of the Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 series aircrafts within the Nigerian airspace by the government pending the outcome of the investigation of the plane crash.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Mao Ohuanbunwa representing Abia North, eastern Nigeria and Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi from southwest Nigeria, also expressed their sadness over the death of the two citizens. Both Senators agreed on the need for Nigeria to have its own national airline to be able to monitor and regulate its use.
After adopting the resolutions, the Senate observed a minute silence in honour of the two victims of the crash and comforted their families.