National Assembly begins review of civil aviation Acts, holds public hearing

The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has begun a process of amending the Civil  Aviation Acts 2006 with a three-day public hearing on the six Executive Bills brought to the National Assembly. The public starts today.

The Bills are seeking to amend certain aspects of the Acts establishing the six agencies being superintended by the Ministry of Aviation.

The agencies include,

1) Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA),

2) Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN),

3) Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA), 4) Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT) Zaria,

5) Air Accident Investigation Bureau, (AIB),

6) Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET).

The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji noted that the aviation as a dynamic industry requires constant review of their enabling status to ensure that the country keeps to standard.

“I understand that the last review was done about fourteen years ago(2006)and l can tell you that within this period a lot of changes has happened globally and this must have necessitated the proposed review from the Executive arm.” He said.

Nnaji therefore appealed to the critical stakeholders and the members of the public especially the frequent air travellers/ aviation community to make time to either attend or send well articulated memoranda that will guide the legislators in amending the Acts.

Such, according to him would engender robust debate and discussions that will at the end of the day prepare grounds for qualitative amendment Bills that will reposition the country’s air transport sector for a greater future.

He also appealed to the media partners to give the process effective coverage to stimulate public interest towards the amendment.

Wole Shadare