Guardian

HAD a Boeing MD-83, operated by Dana Air, not crashed at Iju-Ishaga, a Lagos suburb on June 3, 2012, the community could have remained largely unknown.

The tragedy claimed the lives of 153 passengers, including crewmembers and six residents.

Prior to the incident, Iju-Ishaga, in Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State received little government attention in terms of social amenities. There were no good access roads; a factor some say significantly increased the casualty figures.

One year later, little has changed for the community. An outstanding feature, however, is a cenotaph erected at the crash site by the Lagos State government in honour of the victims. Another is an unfinished road, constructed hastily to facilitate access to the site.

Last Monday, family members of the victims and residents gathered in tearful one-year remembrance. But there was also anger and protest. It dawned on many that the management of the airline has not compensated victims’ families, owners of destroyed houses, and has done nothing towards rebuilding the community. There was also complaint about delay in release of the final accident report.

Early this year, aggrieved families converged at the Ikeja office of the airline to protest non-payment of their claims. They told reporters that they would continue to picket the office until appropriate response is received.

A year on, only 11 families are reported to have received full compensation of $100,000 (N15m) each. Ninety-five others received an initial $30,000 (N4.5m) each, as at May 25. Forty-seven families are yet to receive any compensation, notwithstanding the fact that some lost their breadwinners in the tragedy.

Dana spokesman, Mr. Tony Usidiamen, said compensation would only be paid the remaining families when they present valid documents to back up their claims. He said the families of 20 other victims have submitted their letters from the Probate Registry of the Lagos State High Court.

“The letters will be verified by the airline’s insurance firm, the Lloyds Insurance Company of London. Eight families did not submit any claim in respect of their deceased family members. They may file their claims later,” he said.

Some of the families berated the airline for the questionable way it paid out compensations. They also accuse it of deliberately stalling the process.

While the memorial service held, more than a hundred aggrieved residents, under the umbrella of ‘Ground Victims of Dana Plane Crash’, protested near the venue. They displayed placards with inscriptions, like ‘One Year Later No Compensation’, ‘While We Are Suffering, Dana Is Flying’ and ‘We’ll Like To Have Dana For Dinner”.

Many were residents of Popoola Street, displaced by the crash and residents of neighbouring streets who had gathered in solidarity. They were not cowed by the presence of dozens of armed security personnel drafted to the area.

While some complained of neglect following their displacement, others lamented the construction of roads linking the crash site, saying the shoddy work has resulted in flooding of homes. Road construction at Okunsanya and Akande streets were stopped abruptly after the stretch leading to the memorial site was completed.

The site has been taken over by the Lagos State Government. But displaced residents say the authorities have failed to settle them.

One of the displaced persons, Pastor Daniel Omowunmi, whose duplex and warehouses were destroyed in the crash, said: “I have not been compensated by the airline, one year after the incident. My demands remain that I should be reinstated to my former position or given a cash equivalent of property lost.”

Omowunmi said that the government, without compensation, took from him the land on which the cenotaph is built, despite being in possession of his Certificate of Occupancy.

The residents also blamed the Federal Government for insensitivity to their plight. Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman, Chief Adewale Oriowo, said there is no visible presence of the Federal Government and Dana Air, nor is there any attempt at helping the community repair drainages that were damaged during rescue operations.

Another twist is the blame game between aggrieved residents and Oriowo. While the chairman claims that Dana Air has not responded to their demands, the residents say he has used the unfortunate  incident to enrich his pocket.