The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Growth, Festus Keyamo, has mentioned that the transfer by a member of the Home of Representatives to revoke the licences of sure airstrips within the nation demonstrates a lack of information of the aviation business.
PUNCH On-line gathered that some lawmakers, significantly within the Home of Representatives, are pushing to revoke the airstrip licences of particular people and personal organisations, allegedly on safety grounds.
A member of the Home of Representatives, Sulaiman Abubarka, argued within the Home that the frequent approval of airstrips for personal people may exacerbate the nation’s safety challenges.
The lawmaker said that Nigeria “presently experiences safety challenges by means of the unlawful importation and proliferation of firearms and ammunition, in addition to the importation of illicit medicine, coupled with the lack of our safety companies to hint the supply of weapons provided to insurgents, kidnappers, and separatists who’ve killed 1000’s throughout the nation.”
“Granting airstrip licences to non-public people and organisations may facilitate the unlawful importation of firearms and medicines into the nation, thereby escalating insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, and different vices that severely impression the nation’s socio-economic growth,” he mentioned.
Responding to the lawmaker’s considerations through his X deal with on Saturday, Keyamo clarified that the Home of Representatives as a physique had not known as for the revocation of any non-public airstrip licences.
He recommended that the person who proposed such a movement could have carried out so with patriotic intentions however lacked an understanding of the aviation sector.
“I imagine what occurred was that somebody moved a movement on this regard, and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee for additional overview. Though the member’s intentions have been patriotic, they have been based mostly on a lack of know-how concerning the aviation sector,” Keyamo said.
“As soon as we clarify to them how non-public airstrips function and the regulatory processes they need to endure by means of our companies earlier than last approval, they are going to be reassured. Non-public airstrip homeowners are solely liable for setting up the runway and terminal constructing.
“As soon as the management tower is constructed, nevertheless, it’s solely handed over to the Federal Authorities by means of the Nigerian Airspace Administration Company (NAMA), which oversees your complete airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is signed with NAMA earlier than any airstrip is accepted for operations.”
Keyamo additionally highlighted that NAMA supplies Air Visitors Controllers and Engineers in any respect airports and airstrips, with non-public airstrip homeowners paying the Federal Authorities substantial charges for these companies.
The minister additional indicated that no plane can enter Nigerian airspace with out prior clearance by NAMA and a transparent flight plan detailing its take-off and touchdown factors.
Keyamo defined that it’s unattainable for any non-public airstrip proprietor to unilaterally function flights out and in of Nigeria. “You’ll not be cleared for take-off or touchdown with no prior request and authorisation. I thank the Member for his patriotism, however I want he had consulted us first for clarification earlier than shifting such a movement,” he added.
