Exactly one month after Dana Air Flight 992 crashed in
Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, killing 163 people, the company yesterday began interim
insurance payment to victims’ families. Nine families were given $30,000
each, as they were the ones that scaled the legal verification of documentation
and next of kin status. The nine families are part of the 68 that have
completed their insurance compensation documentation. But there was drama when
the company released cheques to those victims whose property were destroyed on
the ground.
Though it was interim payment, the beneficiaries said it fell short of their expectations. The disbursement of the $270,000 cheques to the nine families took place as the deadline given to the airline by the National Assembly expired yesterday. Dana Air’s spokesman Tony Usidamen, told Daily Sun that four of its staff have also completed and returned the insurance claim forms.
He urged other families to complete their claim forms as same will be taken to the chambers of Yomi Oshikoya & Co, for verification since it was the firm appointed by the insurers in Lagos to vet the forms before advance payment formalities are concluded.
“As of Tuesday, July 3, 2012, the airline had received completed insurance forms for 68 of the victims, four of which are our staff. They have been submitted for verification. Dana Air is fully aware of the mandatory requirement by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), for interim benefits to be paid to the families of the victims within 30 days of the accident.
Dana Air’s lead underwriter in Nigeria today, issued cheques for interim benefits to nine claimants, following legal verification of documentation and next of kin status. The company is in contact with all other families who have submitted relevant documents to Dana Air’s Crisis Management Centre (CMC) in Lagos and Abuja, and has advised that they come forward to the chambers of Yomi Oshikoya & Co, appointed by the insurers in Lagos in order to conclude advance payment formalities.
“We are aware and perfectly understand and respect that most of the next of kin or legal representatives who submitted documents or are yet to visit the CMC and submit documentations to us, are still observing the customary mourning period. Advance payment claims will be concluded on a case by case basis as and when claimants find it convenient to come forward. The airline will continue to provide these services until all claims have been addressed and settled.
Dana Air appreciates that the statutory payments cannot compensate for any of the precious lives lost in the accident, but we hope that it will lessen the pains of the families knowing that they are not alone in these extremely difficult times. Dana Air is maintaining contact with all the families, and will continue to offer all necessary assistance to them,” he said.
On the delay in retrieving the bodies, Mr. Usiedamen said: “Dana Air shares in the pains of the affected families and continues to offer every form of assistance required by the hospital management and overseas laboratory to ensure that the process is completed as soon as possible, so that the families can lay their loved ones to rest. As per update from the Chief Medical Director of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), on Monday, July 2, 2012, more DNA samples have been collected and will be sent to the UK for testing shortly”, he noted.
Meanwhile, it was drama yesterday in Lagos when Dana Air attempted to distribute cheques as interim compensation to the affected Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) adversely affected by the crash.
Former occupants of the five buildings destroyed in the wake of the disaster who felt insulted by the said interim compensation kicked over what they called “procedural matter.” Daily Sun learnt that the airplane’s management had prepared N500, 000 for one of the victims, Mr. Daniel Omowunmi, N100, 000, each to two occupants of the boys’ quarters and N200, 000 each to six families in the block of flats.
The management had offered what it termed ‘interim’ compensation to cater for the temporary accommodation of 38 IDPs that were officially recorded by the Lagos State Emergency Management (LASEMA) pending the full payment of the compensation by the insurance company. The airline, which was almost overwhelmed, assured that the company would soon pay the comprehensive package of the compensation.
The entire exercise took another dimension when one of the lawyers to the victims, Mr. Gbenga Oguntade, rejected the cheques on behalf of his clients, saying that the enumeration did not capture some of the victims and the property destroyed by the crash. He said one of the dead victims who went to the house on 7, Olaniyi Street to watch a football match on that fateful Sunday, was not on the list.
According to him, “As I’m speaking with you I have about 10 clients that have no roofs over their heads. If they decamp them now, where will they go? Are they sending them to go and be sleeping under the bridge? So, insurance package covers all that.
“ We are not saying that they are responsible to the whole world. In the immediate vicinity where the incident happened, so many roofs were destroyed, the roofs were caving in”. Addressing journalists after the meeting, Mr. Usidemen said the exercise was part of the effort to rehabilitate the displaced residents, having initially given them relief materials. He said Dana Air had planned to offer them accommodation but the displaced residents demanded for money to enable them rent accommodation of their choice.
“So, we are here in honour of that decision taken and we have just presented cheques for accommodation, to them. This is by no means the compensation in a situation like this. Our insurance company is working out the extent of damage and adequate insurance would be paid. “ This is just an effort to give interim relief before the actual comprehensive compensation, a temporary relief effort, we have been working in conjunction with LASEMA and the families. We will continue to be with them and assist them, “he added.
Reacting to the rejection of the cheques by some of the displaced residents, Usidemen said:“On the rejection, I wish to stress that this is by no means compensation. We are aware that many people were affected in various manners but surely, they would be compensated adequately.”
Though it was interim payment, the beneficiaries said it fell short of their expectations. The disbursement of the $270,000 cheques to the nine families took place as the deadline given to the airline by the National Assembly expired yesterday. Dana Air’s spokesman Tony Usidamen, told Daily Sun that four of its staff have also completed and returned the insurance claim forms.
He urged other families to complete their claim forms as same will be taken to the chambers of Yomi Oshikoya & Co, for verification since it was the firm appointed by the insurers in Lagos to vet the forms before advance payment formalities are concluded.
“As of Tuesday, July 3, 2012, the airline had received completed insurance forms for 68 of the victims, four of which are our staff. They have been submitted for verification. Dana Air is fully aware of the mandatory requirement by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), for interim benefits to be paid to the families of the victims within 30 days of the accident.
Dana Air’s lead underwriter in Nigeria today, issued cheques for interim benefits to nine claimants, following legal verification of documentation and next of kin status. The company is in contact with all other families who have submitted relevant documents to Dana Air’s Crisis Management Centre (CMC) in Lagos and Abuja, and has advised that they come forward to the chambers of Yomi Oshikoya & Co, appointed by the insurers in Lagos in order to conclude advance payment formalities.
“We are aware and perfectly understand and respect that most of the next of kin or legal representatives who submitted documents or are yet to visit the CMC and submit documentations to us, are still observing the customary mourning period. Advance payment claims will be concluded on a case by case basis as and when claimants find it convenient to come forward. The airline will continue to provide these services until all claims have been addressed and settled.
Dana Air appreciates that the statutory payments cannot compensate for any of the precious lives lost in the accident, but we hope that it will lessen the pains of the families knowing that they are not alone in these extremely difficult times. Dana Air is maintaining contact with all the families, and will continue to offer all necessary assistance to them,” he said.
On the delay in retrieving the bodies, Mr. Usiedamen said: “Dana Air shares in the pains of the affected families and continues to offer every form of assistance required by the hospital management and overseas laboratory to ensure that the process is completed as soon as possible, so that the families can lay their loved ones to rest. As per update from the Chief Medical Director of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), on Monday, July 2, 2012, more DNA samples have been collected and will be sent to the UK for testing shortly”, he noted.
Meanwhile, it was drama yesterday in Lagos when Dana Air attempted to distribute cheques as interim compensation to the affected Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) adversely affected by the crash.
Former occupants of the five buildings destroyed in the wake of the disaster who felt insulted by the said interim compensation kicked over what they called “procedural matter.” Daily Sun learnt that the airplane’s management had prepared N500, 000 for one of the victims, Mr. Daniel Omowunmi, N100, 000, each to two occupants of the boys’ quarters and N200, 000 each to six families in the block of flats.
The management had offered what it termed ‘interim’ compensation to cater for the temporary accommodation of 38 IDPs that were officially recorded by the Lagos State Emergency Management (LASEMA) pending the full payment of the compensation by the insurance company. The airline, which was almost overwhelmed, assured that the company would soon pay the comprehensive package of the compensation.
The entire exercise took another dimension when one of the lawyers to the victims, Mr. Gbenga Oguntade, rejected the cheques on behalf of his clients, saying that the enumeration did not capture some of the victims and the property destroyed by the crash. He said one of the dead victims who went to the house on 7, Olaniyi Street to watch a football match on that fateful Sunday, was not on the list.
According to him, “As I’m speaking with you I have about 10 clients that have no roofs over their heads. If they decamp them now, where will they go? Are they sending them to go and be sleeping under the bridge? So, insurance package covers all that.
“ We are not saying that they are responsible to the whole world. In the immediate vicinity where the incident happened, so many roofs were destroyed, the roofs were caving in”. Addressing journalists after the meeting, Mr. Usidemen said the exercise was part of the effort to rehabilitate the displaced residents, having initially given them relief materials. He said Dana Air had planned to offer them accommodation but the displaced residents demanded for money to enable them rent accommodation of their choice.
“So, we are here in honour of that decision taken and we have just presented cheques for accommodation, to them. This is by no means the compensation in a situation like this. Our insurance company is working out the extent of damage and adequate insurance would be paid. “ This is just an effort to give interim relief before the actual comprehensive compensation, a temporary relief effort, we have been working in conjunction with LASEMA and the families. We will continue to be with them and assist them, “he added.
Reacting to the rejection of the cheques by some of the displaced residents, Usidemen said:“On the rejection, I wish to stress that this is by no means compensation. We are aware that many people were affected in various manners but surely, they would be compensated adequately.”
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