Usman said that the involvement of the agencies’ heads was necessary in order to guide the Technical Advisers (TA) and the promoters of the new national carrier and prevent them from derailing
The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Muhtar Usman has defended the inclusion of parastatals’ heads in the setting up of a new national carrier for Nigeria.
Usman said that the involvement of the agencies’ heads was necessary in order to guide the Technical Advisers (TA) and the promoters of the new national carrier and prevent them from derailing.
Usman who spoke with journalists today in Lagos insisted that the government had not taken the wrong step in including the CEOs, stressing that their inclusion in the taskforce committee would give it a sound footing and prevent it from closing shop like others.
It would be recalled that Minster of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika had inaugurated a nine-man committee (Fast Track Task Force), to ensure the sanctity of the take-off date of December and other agreements reached with the transaction advisers.
Sirika had selected Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, the Managing Director of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency as Chairman of the committee to realise the target deadline.
Other members included Capt. Muhtar Usman, Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Capt. Abdulsalami Mohammed, Rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology; Mr. Akin Olateru, Commissioner for Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB); Capt. Tilmann Gabriel (a representative of National Carrier Transaction Adviser); Layi Are (a representative of Transaction Adviser for MRO and Aviation Leasing Company); Mr. Chidi Izuwah, the Acting Director General of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC); while Mr. Ben Tukur, Technical Assistant to the Minister of State for Aviation, will serve as the Secretary of the committee.
But, stakeholders in the sector have described the planned establishment of the new carrier and the involvement of CEOs as a flagrant of the rule of law.
Usman noted that several airlines in the country close shop early, probably because they did not follow the guide given to them by the regulatory body, but insisted that with this, such sordid past would be avoided.
He said "The presence of the agencies inside the task force is to ensure that the right things are done, they are not midwifing in the real sense of the national carrier but they are guiding the process to ensure that it is done in line with the international standards and best practices in the area of safety, security and also comfort of the passengers.”
He equally informed that NCAA also guides other operators in terms of documentation and preparations of the manual, which were required for a start up airline, stressing that in case of errors and corrections, the regulatory agency ensured such are eliminated.
"All these we did with all of them to the time they come and demonstrate that they are able to do this and then finally we certify them, we have be doing this, so it is not unusual that you find us in that Task Force", Usman noted.
On the December 24 set date, Usman insisted that the date was feasible because the process of obtaining the Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC) was within 90 days if all requirements were met.
He explained that an impending operator might however spend above that when such had an some issues with his papers, stressing that AOC issuance is in stages.
He added: “That is why sometimes the delay is not on the part of the authority, but on the part of the operators. If the operator everything is fine, fine from the operator within 90 days we will be able to give them the certificate to operate. We don't control other things but as far as we are concerned from our own side it is quite feasible.”
He further added that, although government has put in place a transaction adviser, which comprises a consortium of advisers, but declared NCAA would continue to guide the consortium for positive result.