… announces ICAO audit for 2022
The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, has debunked allegations that the regulatory body grounds airlines arbitrarily.
In reaction to the insinuations in some quarters alleging that airlines operators are afraid of the regulatory agency and that the grounding of airlines are done by senior officers in the agency instead of getting directives from the Director General, Nuhu categorically cleared the air that nobody in the regulatory body can ground any airline without his authorisation.
He also disclosed that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) on Nigeria’s aviation industry is billed for 2022.
The Director General stated these on Tuesday during an interactive session with members of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) at the agency’s Aviation House, Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, centred on the relationship between the NCAA and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).
“Nobody can ground any airline without the authorisation of the Director General of NCAA,” he stated.
On the relationship between the NCAA and AON, the NCAA boss said, “we have the best relationship with airlines.”
Nuhu explained that complaints must come; if for example Nigeria has 50 or more airlines and one or two are complaining, that cannot be ruled out and that it is normal.
He, however, said that the regulatory body was doing its best in terms of cordial relationship with airline operators.
In his words: “If we have 50 or more airlines and one is complaining; it is normal.”
On the 2022 Audit and the country’s extent of preparedness, Nuhu said that the NCAA was working on it and that one of the things that must be done is the certification of airports.
Speaking on the accumulated debts owed to the NCAA, which is now referred to as legacy debts, the NCAA boss said that the first step was to stop the debts from growing by ensuring that airlines key into the automation process.
He further stated that NCAA was working with airline operators on the debts, adding that the regulatory body is aware that times are hard and that there was no way it could ask airlines to pay all the debts they owe.
“Reconciliation meetings with operators are ongoing on the legacy debts,” he said.
The Director General reiterated that despite the COVID -19 outbreak which ravaged the aviation industry globally, Nigeria’s aviation sector inclusive, more airlines are springing up and that besides; connectivity in the country has improved.
He said: “With the coming of more airlines, the connectivity of the country has improved. You can now travel from Asaba to Kano; you can connect from one city to the other. It is really amazing.”
Speaking on certification of airports, the NCAA boss said that the Murtala Muhammed Airport(MMA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport (NAA), Abuja which were certified few years back were presently undergoing re-certification, and that some progress have been made as it concerns the process .
He hinted that Enugu, Kano and Port Harcourt airports are undergoing initial certification processes, adding that as soon as all the open items are closed, NCAA would certify the three of them.
“Lagos and Abuja were certified a few years ago and presently, they are going through re-certification.
“There has been some progress. We have a few gaps that are to be closed. Some have been closed, others, we are in the process of closing them and new gaps have come.
“We are working closely with the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to close the open items to ensure that the re-certification process is completed as soon as possible,” Nuhu explained.
Picture caption:
From left Mrs Carol Adekotujo, AGM PR, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA; Captain Elisha Bahago, Director, Operations, Licensing and Training Standard, NCAA; Captain Musa Nuhu, DG/CEO, NCAA and Mr Olusegun Koiki, Chairman, League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents at an interactive meeting between LAAC members and DG, NCAA in Lagos on today, September 13,2021.
