By Ojo Shola

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has urged aviation journalists and media houses to avoid sensational and panic reporting, saying such reports are dangerous to the growth of the Country’s aviation industry.

That appeal was the crux of a two-day workshop that brought together journalists and aviation experts to discuss the critical role of the media in promoting aviation safety and security in Nigeria.

The workshop, titled “Driving Aviation Safety and Security Through Effective Regulation – The Role of the Media,”, organised by the Public Relations Department of the NCAA in partnership with Tom Associates held at a hotel in Nasarawa state, aimed to educate media professionals on the importance of accurate and responsible reporting in the aviation sector.

Taking the participants through the workshop, a veteran in aviation safety regulation of Tom Associates, Dr. Ola Azeez, noted that, the media plays a vital role in raising awareness about safety and security concerns, holding authorities accountable, and promoting transparency, hence the need to be abreast of aviation best practices.

He further highlighted the need for media professionals to understand NCAA regulations and policies to report effectively and avoid sensationalism and panic reporting.

“By fulfilling its roles, the media contributes significantly to maintaining the highest safety and security standards, ultimately safeguarding passengers’ lives and the aviation industry’s integrity.

“Aviation industry is not a joke and all stakeholders must be deliberate in playing their roles in the interest of passengers and the country as a whole.

“If you don’t train them, don’t blame them. In addition to self-development on the part of aviation journalists, critical stakeholders like the NCAA must keep them abreast of happenings in the sector within and outside the country so they can become experts in the subject matter.

“So as we move forward. the importance of collaboration between the media and NCAA as the regulatory bodies in promoting a safety-first culture within the industry cannot be overemphasized”, he added.

The highlight of the capacity-building training included insightful presentations and interactive sessions, where participants discussed challenges in reporting aviation news and shared ideas on enhancing the quality and impact of their reportage going forward.

NCAA was created by an Act of Parliament in 1999, to perform statutory responsibilities of ensuring regulation, monitoring, and promotion of the safety, security, economic, and reliability of air navigation oversight in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs). The Authority effectively commenced operations on 1st January 2000.

Photo: Participants at a two-day workshop organised by the Public Relations Department of the NCAA in partnership with Tom Associates held at a hotel in Nasarawa state in August 2024.