Airport Not Audited Since 2007

(MENAFN- The Post) MASERU

THE Ministry of Public Works has deliberately avoided carrying out the Civil Aviation Universal Safety Oversight Audit since 2007 to avoid a possible shut down of Moshoeshoe I International Airport, thepost heard this week.

The shocking revelation was made by the ministry's deputy principal secretary, Katiso Ntoane, before parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday.

Ntoane told the PAC that the ministry was“fearful of the audit, as it may expose the airport's failure to comply with many of the civil aviation regulations”.Advertisement

“One big issue we saw is that looking at the situation of our airport the repercussions of an audit would be sour,” Ntoane said.

“The possible outcome would bring significant safety audits that would call for cancelation of all flights to the airport,” he said.

“We are trying to escape such a situation here.”

The PAC chairperson 'Machabana Lemphane-Letsie interrupted him saying“it would be better for the airport to be shut down”.

“It was shut down a few weeks back due to lack of fire extinguishers, did we die?” Lemphane-Letsie asked

Ntoane responded that the plan was to implement some areas that might attract the audit within four years.

“We have to establish the Lesotho Civil Aviation Authority, and we have made progress there,” Ntoane said.

He also said they have been struggling to comply with the aviation laws due to the past governments that did not understand fully and appreciate aviation issues.

“That issue hindered us, they needed buy in and approval to get a budget.”

He said postponing the audit has become“a normal practice” and they did it in 2019

“The situation is worse than in 2019, therefore the audit is not needed now,” he said.

The PAC learnt that the audit, originally scheduled for August 27 to September 8 this year, was delayed by a letter from the Civil Aviation director, Mphonyane Moloi, dated October 3 last year.

The letter was addressed to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) which audits the world aerodromes.

Moloi confirmed to the PAC yesterday that multiple requests for audit postponements were made, stating that“the decision was made in consultation with the principal secretary and the minister”.

“The postponements were necessary because the issues identified in previous audits had not been adequately addressed,” Moloi said

Lemphane-Letsie asked him if he had powers to postpone an audit for several times.

“You do not have even small powers to stop an audit, what you are doing is for convenience,” Lemphane-Letsie said.

Moloi responded that he does not have the powers to do so.

“I was given the go-ahead by the principal secretaries and the ministry's management and I did,” he said.

Lemphane-Letsie interrupted Moloi, accusing him of“avoiding the involvement of international auditors, who could help strengthen the situation at the airport”.Advertisement

The PAC expressed outrage over the repeated postponements of the audit since 2007.

The committee was shocked by this revelation, especially as it came to light through the Civil Aviation Department inspector, Lerotholi Hlasoa, who was initially summoned to testify.

Hlasoa disclosed that many of the issues raised in the 2007 audit remained unresolved, with only about 30 percent of the queries addressed.

Nkheli Liphoto

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