FG Approves New National Aviation Policy

The federal government has approved the revision of the old aviation policy which has now been replaced with a new one.

The approval of the new National Civil Aviation Policy was one of the decisions reached yesterday at the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The meeting, according to the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku,  who briefed journalists, also discussed key policy issues, including the review of the performance of the Ministry of Transport.

Maku said the revised aviation policy was seen by Jonathan as an opportunity to modernise the sector and an economic imperative to move the country forward.

In her remarks, Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, said there was the need for the review of the old aviation policy because its provisions had been overtaken by current events and circumstances and it was imperative for the federal government to review it to align it with global standard in the aviation sector.

The issues of safety and upgrade of technology are some of the factors necessitating the  review of the policy, Oduah stressing that there were now about 100 private jets in the country and there was no law to regulate them.

She stated that the new policy was designed to safeguard the rights of  passengers and operators  as a new directorate had been created to enforce safety regulations.
She added that the policy also reviewed the Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) that are supposed to be reciprocal but are not.

According to her, hitherto under the previous BASA terms, the country was paid only royalty but that this trend has to change in order to make the agreement more useful.
The new policy, she added, also looked at the matter of national carrier, national security and safety at the airports, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the need for a National Aviation Planning Policy

The AIB, the minister added, should not investigate accidents, but ensure that its findings are fully implemented.

Also at yesterday’s meeting,  the FEC approved N19,438 billion for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  to provide water to Karshi satellite town in Abuja.

The council, explained the Minister of State for  FCT, Ms. Olajumoke Akinjide, approved a memorandum for the award of the contract, billed to be completed in 30 months, to SCC Nigeria Limited.

 

The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, who briefed council on his ministry’s performance, said it was also focusing on how to improve other means of transportation  apart from the railway.