Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed claims that the House of Representatives requested the revocation of airstrip licenses for Living Faith Church and other private entities.
In a statement posted on his X platform, formerly known as Twitter, Keyamo clarified that the House did not formally call for the revocation of any airstrip licenses.
He explained, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.”
Recent reports suggested that the House intended to halt the issuance of airstrip licenses and revoke those already granted to private organisations, including the church, as a national security measure.
Keyamo noted, “What happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.”
Keyamo highlighted the complexities of aviation regulations, saying, “The intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, but it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.”
He elaborated on the processes governing private airstrips, emphasizing that once built, control is handed over to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), which manages air traffic across the country.
He concluded by reinforcing the Federal Government’s oversight, stating, “It is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility,” assuring the public of stringent security measures in place.
