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HSSES, University of Uyo holds 4th Seminar On Safety Awareness.

Akaiso Eyo-Akaiso, Uyo.

The Institute for Health, Safety, Security and Environmental studies (IHSSES), University of Uyo has once again organized a seminar to create awareness for the public on the need to make safety a watch word in their daily living. The seminar held on Thursday at the Multi Purpose hall of the University of Uyo Main Campus, was the 4th this year.

The guest speaker, Capt. Umoh Edemeka, who presented a paper on the theme of the seminar, “Trends and critical issues on Aviation Safety”, revealed that about 80% of accident in Aviation sector is caused by human factor as a result of lack of inter personal relationship and cognitive skills.

Capt. Edemeka who has been piloting planes for the past twenty-six years and still flying posited that Akwa Ibom State possesses the highest numbers of professionals in the Aviation industry courtesy of the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong (Arch) Victor Attah who granted a scholarship to young people of the state to study different professions in Aviation industry in any part of the world, in preparation for the building of the airport now named after him as Victor Attah International Airport.

However, he scored succeeding administrations in Akwa Ibom State high for developing the airport to what it is at present, even though without MRO and other basic facilities intended by the originator to make operation in the airport round the clock, but worried that the benefits of the airport has not trickled down to Akwa Ibom people, except the few staff who are working there for their pay.

To this end, he advised the incumbent governor, Pastor Umo Eno to reintroduce scholarship board with intent to encouraging the brilliant but indigent citizens of the state to avail themselves of scholarship award, to study any profession of their choice in any part of the world to boost the staff strength of the airport.

According to him, “Akwa Ibom State is not reaping the benefits of the airport to the letter because the leadership of Ibom Air has moved the hub of activities of the airline to Lagos quite unknown to them and only using the airport for parking of aircraft.
“So what the leadership of Ibom Air should do is to return the hub of the airline back to Victor Attah International Airport, if they want to create the impacts Obong (Arch) Victor Attah intended for Akwa Ibom State people when he founded the airport some years ago,” he asserted.

Commending the director of the Institute, Prof. Comfort Etok for her efforts in instituting the seminar to educate people on safety issues, the guest speaker advised that professionals from other fields of human endeavours like oil and gas, construction work sites and others, should be invited to share their expertize in subsequent seminars.

In the same vein the vice chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudo Ndaeyo who was represented on the occasion, appreciated the director for her passion to bring safety to the front burner, noting that majority of the participants who travel on plane know next to little about aviation safety, adding “now that we have been properly schooled we should know what to do when next we travel, that doesn’t constitute a risk to our safety.”

Setting the tone for the seminar, Prof. Etok advised people to adhere to safety procedures wherever they may find themselves, work places, homes, schools and what have you, if they must avoid accidents.
“Safety encompasses a lot of sectors, construction sites, homes, office, as a welder, farmers and all human endeavours. Infact, Safety is all encompassing to prevent accidents,” she emphasized. Later, in acquiescing to the guest speaker’s request, she promised to extend invite to experts in other fields to share safety tips on how to prevent accidents in their area of operations. Award was presented to the guest speaker by the Institute in appreciation of his support to the Institute.

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