Three Airports Get NCAA Operational Permits

The Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority (NCAA) has given operational permits to Birnin Kebbi, Jigawa (Dutse) and Bauchi International Airports.
Director General of NCAA, Capt Muhktar Usman said in Lagos that the airports were also designated to airlift pilgrims for this year’s hajji to Saudi Arabia.
He said the increase in the volume of passengers at airports across the country had necessitated NCAA’s adoption of International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) methodology to deal with the situation.
“It is instructive to note that due to the upsurge in number of passengers in Nigeria, NCAA has keyed to a new ICAO methodology designed to accommodate the increase in traffic world wide. This led to the formation of Aviation Safety Book Upgrade (ASBU) Committee in Nigeria.
“The regulating authority has evaluated and granted approval for Airports Security Programme (ASP) at majority of the airports. Others are undergoing assessment for approval. This is expedient in the face of global security challenges” he said.
In recognition of the increase in the volume of passengers, Muhktar said the agency’s Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP) had taken steps to process complaints and ensure comfort of air travellers.
Besides, he said Nigeria had become an attractive destination for foreign airlines and ceaseless application for additional frequencies.
According to him, Nigeria has Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with 78 countries.
However, he said some of the agreements were yet to be utilized but to strengthen and widen BASA with existing and new countries, Nigerian delegates would be attending an ICAO Air Service Negotiation Conference (ICAN) in Bali, Indonesia.
“As in the past, the ICAN will provide states with a central meeting place to conduct multiple bilateral air services negotiations or consultations. It will offer participants excellent networking opportunities. NCAA through its robust regulation has been able to drive aviation to a very high pedestal of development. The traffic will definitely continue to increase”, he added.
Thereafter, he said NCAA, as the policy arm of the Ministry of Aviation is to constantly advise the supervising ministry and proffer robust policies that will provide the platform for adequate regulation of the aviation industry.
“In terms of policy thrust, especially for the regulatory perspective, it is within our framework to propound policy guidelines to drive aviation activities in Nigeria. All these policies fall under our instruments of regulation. Nigeria is a member of ICAO”, NCAA boss declared.