Nigeria Ratifies Air Transport Pact With U.S.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the ratification of Air Transport Agreement between Nigeria and the United States. The air transport bilateral agreement will strengthen economic, social and cultural ties between the two countries.

The Council also approved the new National Forest Policy for the country to replace the old one formulated in 2006. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stood in for the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the 10th virtual FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Aircraft cabin

He said: “The Aviation Minister presented a memo today (Wednesday) on the approval for ratification of the air transport agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United States of America. “The minister sought Council’s approval for ratification of the air transport agreement between USA and Nigeria. “You will recall that both United States and Nigeria are parties to the Chicago Convention on the 7th of December, 1994. Article 6 of the convention actually urges parties to sign air services agreement with member states to improve social, political and economic ties.

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“The U.S. has ratified its own and Mr. President and council graciously accepted today to also ratify this agreement. So, Mr. President signed valid agreement of air transport service between Nigeria and the U.S. with the attendant benefits for both countries, especially as Nigeria is working towards having its own full national airline.

“So, we will now take advantage of this air transport bilateral agreement to strengthen economic, social and cultural ties between the two countries.” Minister of Environment, Mohammed Mahmood, in his comments said the new forest policy would provide a lot of employment opportunities, reduce poverty, provide foreign exchange from the exportation of woods as well as mitigate the effects of the climate change in the country.

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Wole Shadare