The Aviation Round Table (ART) on Wednesday in Lagos called for an amendment to the 1999 constitution to enable local governments respond to emergencies in their areas.
The President of the ART, Capt. Dele Ore, made the call at a media briefing on emergency response in Nigeria.
“The first responder cannot always be the state emergency services or the National Emergency Management Agency that are located at state capitals and Abuja.
“For instance, it makes no sense for victims of air crash at Iju-Ishaga, Lisa or Obudu, to continue to wait for some uncoordinated rescue team from Alausa (Ikeja), Abeokuta or Calabar.
“If they must wait, the lucky survivors who need first aid will have no hope of surviving, ’’ he said.
Ore suggested that more money should be given to the councils as the third- tier government to discharge their responsibilities as the first responder in an air emergency.
He said quick response by local governments was one of the ways to move the aviation industry forward.
“What is required by the first responder are security, fire service, rescue service and medical service, including ambulances,’’ he said.