Director-General (DG) of NCAA, Capt. Nuhu Musa, who disclosed this at a stakeholders’ consultation on the proposed amendment of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, yesterday, in Abuja, stated that the regulations were not for punitive but regulatory purpose.
Some industry stakeholders say some operators have been punished unjustifiably for actions not properly investigated and penalties slammed on the operators without any reference to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) or any regulatory body.
They wondered if ICAO standards are being followed or the authority is merely reinventing the wheel. They wondered on what basis the authority is supposed to be nurturing the industry, increasing charges and sanctioning airlines arbitrarily.
But the DG, in his response, assured that the agency’s action was in line with ICAO standards, adding that when they benchmark their charges with other charges elsewhere in dollars, they found out that theirs was exceptionally low.
He said there was never a time they did not listen to operators to review the fines, as “the purpose is not punitive but to regulate the industry.”
Musa urged a robust participation of all stakeholders for a regulation that is owned by all.
He said: “We all have important parts to play in the development of this new registration to put the aviation industry in the right pedestal in the Nigerian economy, as aviation is a catalyst and an important factor in economic growth.”
