NCAA Assures Public of Safety of Nigerian Airlines - By Daisy BARRO

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has assured the travelling public that the Authority will never allow aircraft that are not airworthy to fly in the Nigerian airspace.

The DG, NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu gave the assurance on the heels of some reports in the news media regarding the safety of some aircraft flying in the country. He warned that inaccurate news reports can hamper the process of sourcing funds by local operators and capable of hindering their growth as a result.

The NCAA’s reaction came after media reports alleged that airline operators may be seeking the easy way out because of lack of a bailout that could be used to ameliorate their operations, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a chat with newsmen, Capt. Musa Nuhu said that such reports could make it difficult for operators “to access international funds, to have good lease rate for their aircraft, and their insurance premium may go up.” 

He noted that it was unfortunate that the Senator who was quoted in the reports as saying that planes will start crashing without the bailout was quoted out of context to create a sensational story.

He reiterated that unsafe aircraft have been grounded, some for months, until such a time when they will be fit to fly. He ended by saying that, “The standards as regards airworthiness of airplanes are very high. Even I as the DG does not have the authority to waive anything as long as it is a safety related issue. All our aircraft flying are safe.”