By:Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The Somaliland Ministry of Aviation and Air transport has refuted alleged responsibility in the technical problems of any aircraft landing or taking off from any airports in the country.
According to the aviation ministry’s spokesperson Mr. Saddam Ahmed Mohamed the government of Somaliland is only mandated with availing acceptable ground and air facilities for all aircrafts and not provision of mechanical services ass alleged by a section of the local media.
Spokesperson Saddam was reacting to media reports that insinuated that the failure of an African airways plane to take-off from Hargeisa Egal international Airport last Tuesday was due to irresponsibility and lackluster service performance of the aviation ministry.
“The factual reason behind the non take-off of the African Airways flight destined for Nairobi Kenya was due to technical problems with some mechanical or electrical parts of the plane thence entirely the preserve of the airways” said Mr. Saddam Ahmed during an interview with Dawan newspaper.
While revealing that the aviation ministry has started investigations to ascertain the why’s of the malaise with the aircraft owned by African airways which regularly ply’s the Nairobi, Mogadishu, Hargeisa route, the aviation spokesperson said findings will be availed as soon as possible.
Informing that the agency responsible for aircraft maintenances within Somaliland airports is the National Services and Handling Agency-NASHA Mr. Saddam Ahmed Mohamed said that it, NASHA, is assisting with effecting necessary repairs to the malfunctioned parts of the African air plane as well as with the ongoing aviation ministry investigations.
Since the recent mishaps that engulfed Egal Airport following the withdrawal of Ethiopian airlines from the route, the local Somaliland media has dealt the ministry of aviation a raw deal as can be perceived by current negated insinuations that it, the ministry, is behind and responsible for malfunctioned airplanes.
