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Arik gets safety, professionalism award

By Clarkson Voke Eberu
11 June 2019   |   4:03 am
Century Group (CG) in partnership with the National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria (NISCN) and Global Performance Index (GPI) has recognised...

Arik air

Century Group (CG) in partnership with the National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria (NISCN) and Global Performance Index (GPI) has recognised the management and staff of Arik Air, especially the crew of Flight W3 745 of October 28,2018 that safely conveyed passengers from Port Harcourt to Lagos amid the challenge of flying through an unusual turbulence.

To authenticate the choice of the airline for a safety award and cash donations to the team that successfully navigated the flight in question, an official of Century Group, Dr. Ere Ebikekeme, was onboard to give firsthand report of the great team work of the crew.

Reliving the ordeal, he stated that the ‘frightful’ situation notwithstanding, the squad comprising Grant Onakah; Jacob Enejo; Ijeomah Onah and Oluwafadekemi Afolabi, was totally in control, exuding the safety trainings they had undergone over the years.

He particularly mentioned that Mrs. Onah was up and doing calming nerves and instructing passengers to remain calm and.

For this show of adherence to safety in line with CG’s expectations from players in the oil, gas and aviation industries and other critical sectors of the economy, an award, at the event tagged “HSE in our DNA: The Billionaire Lifestyle” in Lekki, was presented to the airline which was received on its behalf by the Chief Pilot, Captain Abdullahi Mahmood.

Consequently, a dummy cheque of N1.5 million was presented to Onakah, just as N500,000 worth of same facility was each handed over to Onah, Enejo and Afolabi for their bravery, observance of safety measures and professionalism while the turbulence lasted.

The Group Executive Director (GED) of CG, Mr. Alaba Owoyemi, earlier in his welcome address, noted that his company, as a major stakeholder in the nation’s oil and gas industry, does not compromise safety in all of its operations, emphasizing the need to imbibe international safety practices and standards as a culture in both the workplace and the home front for improved value creation that serves as vehicle for job creation.

He stated: “It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt all over the world that there is a correlation between productivity, safety and health at any work environment. That means the lower the health and safety standards, the lower the productivity of the organisation, particularly in highly mechanised labour-intensive environment and vice versa.”

Owoyemi added: “This award is geared towards the promotion and reward of outstanding Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) practices and culture within Nigeria.

“We are happy to be identified with the recipients because they have exhibited the spirit and character the Century brand stands for – courage, professionalism and passion – in the execution of their mandate.”

The beneficiaries thanked the oil firm for finding them worth of honour. But Onakah attracted a rapt attention when he disclosed that he was just nine months old on the job when the incident, he described as a memorable chapter in his life, occurred.

In their goodwill messages, the Director General of Lagos State Safety Commission, Hakeem Dickson, represented by Head, Risk Management Department in the agency, Victoria Debite, reiterated their advocacy for safety of workers.

Also, the NISCN and GPI affirmed commitment to safety of employees at the workplace.

To co-organiser/Media and Communications Executive, CG, Jude Useghan, “HSE is key in our operation. What we are advocating is to internalise the culture not just at the workplace but in all activities.”

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