The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has vowed to tackle all illegal chartered operations in the country.
Keyamo made this known while receiving the report of the 7-Member Committee on Illegal Chartered Operations and Related Matters in Abuja.
He stated that the issue of illegal charter operations by private jets and private aircrafts owners in the country had been besetting the aviation sector, especially those who obtain licences under the permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) and use the aircraft to do other illegal transactions.
The Minister maintained that the President Bola Tinubu-led government was poised to mitigate these acts, pledging that his Ministry would not fail to safeguard the aviation industry in line with the mandate of the Ministry.
According to him, this practice had “been on for many years before I became Minister, but I thought there was a need to confront it headlong.”
He added: “When you cannot track them, it leads to money laundering, drug trafficking, illegal entry and exits into the country and all kinds of illegal activities.”
While commending the Committee members and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for providing the committee with all necessary documents required in the course of their assignment, Keyamo promised to implement the recommendation of the committee. He assured that it would not be swept under the carpet.
The Chairman of the 7-member Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Charter operations, Captain Ado Sanusi, while presenting the final report of the committee, thanked Keyamo for his visionary leadership and for entrusting the committee with such an important assignment.
He noted that the committee conducted a thorough investigation into illegal private charter operations in Nigeria and identified critical challenges, which include regulatory weaknesses, loopholes in the permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) system, inadequate oversight, security vulnerabilities and significant revenue losses to the government.
Sanusi stated that the findings did not only pose risks to aviation safety but also create an uneven playing field for legitimate operators.
“As part of the recommendation in the report is that government should strengthen regulatory oversight, enhance security measures, improve compliance with aviation laws, and ensure that private charter operations are conducted transparently and in line with international standards.”
He, however, appealed to the Minister to ensure speedy implementation of the recommendations which would create an economically viable aviation industry in Nigeria.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, commended the aviation minister for his commitment in reviving the Nigeria Aviation sector.
