The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has suspended a crew
member for testing positive for marijuana during random alcohol and drug tests
on licensed aviation personnel.
The NCAA said it conducted the test in compliance with a
directive from the Director-General, Capt. Muhtar Usman, after issuing a
circular to stakeholders in the industry.
According to the regulator, 87 personnel from Air Peace,
Medview Airline and Air Traffic Controllers of the Nigerian Airspace Management
Agency were randomly tested as they were
about to embark on flight operations and air traffic control duties.
The NCAA said that out of the 10 pilots and 19 cabin crew
from Air Peace Limited; nine pilots and 32 cabin crew members from Med-View
Airline; and 10 licensed air traffic controllers and six trainees from the
control tower and Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria Centre of NAMA, one crew
member tested positive to a psychoactive substance, Tetrahydro-Cannabinol, also
known as marijuana.
Although the NCAA did not disclose the identity of the crew
member or the airline, it however said he was immediately suspended from
carrying out further flight operations.
“Further investigations were later carried out to ascertain
the quantity of the substance in the urine sample of the crew member,” the NCAA
said in a statement signed on Monday by its General Manager, Public Relations,
Mr. Sam Adurogboye.
The regulator said the crew member had violated the
provisions of Part 2.11.1.7. (a) and Part 8.5.1.5(a) (3) of the Nigeria Civil
Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs 2015).
It added, “The offending air crew has been suspended in
accordance with the provisions of Part 2.11.1.8(f) (i) and Part 2.11.1.7(c) of
Nig.CARs 2015. His medical certificate and licence have been suspended for 180
days from the 5th day of April, 2017.
“Accordingly, the respondent shall cease to exercise the
privileges of the licence for the period of his suspension.
“In addition, the crew member shall within seven days of
receipt of the letter of sanction hand over his licence to the authority’s
director of licensing, and shall undergo a comprehensive treatment and
rehabilitation for psychoactive substance abuse during the suspension period
under the care of a consultant psychiatrist.”
According to the NCAA, at the end of the investigation, the
report of the consultant psychiatrist will be reviewed by its consultant
psychiatrist adviser to enable it to consider possible restoration of the
suspended medical certificate and licence.
The regulator noted that the random drug and alcohol tests
for licensed aviation personnel would be carried out periodically to rid the
industry of the menace of crew members and air traffic controllers conducting
flight operations under the influence of psychoactive substance, which could
jeopardise flight safety.
“The NCAA will continue to carry out consistent surveillance
on the aviation industry to ensure full compliance with extant regulations.
Failure will attract adequate sanction,” Adurogboye said.
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