NCAA Assures On Dana’s Payment Of Crash Victims’ Families

THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has assured that all victims including victims on ground in the ill-fated Dana aircraft that occurred last year would be settled.

The issue of compensation for the families of victims of the June 3, 2012, crash has been on the front burner for the past months and the resumption of the airline last week Friday has further heightened concern of whether or not the families would be paid.

At a briefing in Lagos yesterday, the Director General of the NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren while stating efforts taken to compensate the families, said 131 out of the 153 victims’ families had so far submitted documents for payment of compensation, adding that families of 12 victims were yet to submit any documents.

He explained that the agency and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) had been working assiduously to ensure the payments of full compensation to the families.

According to him, “families of two victims are yet to submit full documents. Families of 53 victims have gone to court inclusive of 23 victims who had collected the initial payment of $30,000.

“Documentation for 24 victims is awaiting authentication by the insurers. Letters of Administration (LOA) for families of 48 victims are still being awaited.”

Demuren disclosed that the issue of multiple claims were being also being carefully handled, noting that cheques of the initial payment of $30,000 compensation had been paid for 85 victims.

He stated that in order for the families to collect the remaining $70, 000 compensation, LOA was required by the Reinsurance Company.

Demuren further explained that the authority held several meetings with some of the families of the victims and their lawyers, alongside NAICOM and sought the assistance of the Lagos State Government in order to fast track the process of the issuance of LOA.