In Nigeria, Licenses Issued to Airlines With No Aircraft

The Senate Committee on Aviation investigating the rot in the aviation sector yesterday said it has found out that licenses are issued to airlines that own no aircraft.

Committee chairman Senator Hope Uzodinma (PDP, Imo) said at the resumed hearing yesterday that investigations have revealed that the affected airlines, which he did not mention, are yet to commence operations because they do not own any aircraft six months after obtaining operation licenses.
Uzodinma described as reckless a situation where Air Operations Certificates (AOCs) were issued to non-existent aircrafts without recourse to, and observance for prescribed and laid down regulations saying: "The issue of AOC is a serious matter, since after Demuren, the NCAA has issued twice the number of certificates. When it comes to the issue of safety, standards and regulations, we cannot compromise."

Former acting Director Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Mr. Joyce Nkemakolam said no Nigerian airport is fully certified airworthy.

Nkemakolam who is also the director of Aerodrome Services, at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), informed the senators that no airport has attained full airworthy certification.

When asked by committee chair, Senator Hope Uzodinma (PDP, Imo), to mention which Nigerian airports have been certified airworthy, Mr. Nkemakolam said: "Distinguished chairman, no airport in Nigeria has been fully certified."

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has not yet certified any of the 22 airports in the country because the airports have been unable to meet the requirements on the regulator's checklist particularly in the area of security and safety in the last 20 years.

The NCAA Act, 2006 had empowered the agency to certify airports in line with international regulations.

For his part, the Director General of NCAA, Capt. Fola Akikuotu, told the panel that based on the extant laws, the agency is not barred from registering old aircraft since the law does not stop them from giving operating licenses to aircraft that are above 43 years.

The senators had earlier discovered that a 43-year aircraft belonging to Westlink airlines has been licenced to fly in Nigeria.

"In this time and age where aircraft are with high technology, you are approving AOC for an aircraft which is 43 years old. It is an insult to fly Nigerians in an aircraft that is 43 years old. It doesn't make sense. You have a right to say that anybody who has an aircraft older than 12 years should not come to your office," Senator Mohamned Ali Ndume (PDP, Borno) said.

The probe was instituted on October 8, following the crash of the Associated Airline plane in Lagos which killed 15 people. The hearing continues next Monday.

Source: All Africa