Friday, 31 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria

The National Union of Air Transport Employees NUATE have selected Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation Senator Hope Uzodinma for an award in excellence and grand patron to the sector.

Acting general secretary of NUATE comrade Abdulkareem Motajo said the union decided to honour Senator Uzodinma for intervening in labour related issues that would have crippled the industry.

“Awards will be given to individuals and personalities that have contributed to the welfare of workers in one way or the other through their interventions and contributions to the aviation sector especially in areas that would have set management of agencies against the union” Motajo said.

The award is to be issued during the union’s Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference to be held in Lagos. According to Comrade Motajo, over 300 delegates from various airports across the country will converge on Abuja for the conference.

Other awardees include Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Theodre Orji of Abia State and airlines. 


NUATE accounts for close to 80% of the total workforce of the aviation sector in the country. 

Senate Committee Chairman to receive NUATE award

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Aviation Nigeria

The National Union of Air Transport Employees NUATE have selected Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation Senator Hope Uzodinma for an award in excellence and grand patron to the sector.

Acting general secretary of NUATE comrade Abdulkareem Motajo said the union decided to honour Senator Uzodinma for intervening in labour related issues that would have crippled the industry.

“Awards will be given to individuals and personalities that have contributed to the welfare of workers in one way or the other through their interventions and contributions to the aviation sector especially in areas that would have set management of agencies against the union” Motajo said.

The award is to be issued during the union’s Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference to be held in Lagos. According to Comrade Motajo, over 300 delegates from various airports across the country will converge on Abuja for the conference.

Other awardees include Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Theodre Orji of Abia State and airlines. 


NUATE accounts for close to 80% of the total workforce of the aviation sector in the country. 
Aviation Nigeria

In a Corporate Social Responsibility move, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) have donated materials to the victims of the last flood in Asaba, Delta State.

SAHCOL was represented at the event by Basil Agboarumi, Head Corporate Communications, accompanied by Darlington Egun, Passenger Services Officer, Asaba Station.

Managing Director, Oluropo Owolabi, and the entire staff of SAHCOL, BasilAgboarumi handed over the materials to officials of the Delta State Government, represented byPaul Osahon, Director of Information, Ministry of Information, Asaba, Edna Obaniedo, Principal Admin Officer, State Emergency Agency and Morka Ikechukwu, Principal Store Officer, of the Delta State Emergency Agency Asaba.


The items, which includes Kerosene Cooking Stoves, Buckets and Cooking Pots were individual donations received from Management and Staff of SAHCOL, across its network.

SAHCOL donate relief materials to flood victims in Delta State

Posted on by Aviation Nigeria with No comments
Aviation Nigeria

In a Corporate Social Responsibility move, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) have donated materials to the victims of the last flood in Asaba, Delta State.

SAHCOL was represented at the event by Basil Agboarumi, Head Corporate Communications, accompanied by Darlington Egun, Passenger Services Officer, Asaba Station.

Managing Director, Oluropo Owolabi, and the entire staff of SAHCOL, BasilAgboarumi handed over the materials to officials of the Delta State Government, represented byPaul Osahon, Director of Information, Ministry of Information, Asaba, Edna Obaniedo, Principal Admin Officer, State Emergency Agency and Morka Ikechukwu, Principal Store Officer, of the Delta State Emergency Agency Asaba.


The items, which includes Kerosene Cooking Stoves, Buckets and Cooking Pots were individual donations received from Management and Staff of SAHCOL, across its network.

Monday, 27 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria

by Waziri Ado


The House of Representatives’ committees on Justice and Aviation on Thursday submitted a 12-page report on the grounding of Bombardier B700 Global Express (N565RS) said to belong to the Rivers State Government. Those looking for a neutral and objective report on this highly politicized issue should look elsewhere. Otherwise, they will be thoroughly disappointed. Instead of providing clarity and closure, the report throws up critical questions, especially on the motives and the credibility of the committees and the House itself. 

The first give-away of possible partisanship and of a potentially predictable outcome was embedded in the motion that gave rise to the mandate of the committees. In his motion of 30 April 2013, Hon. Ahmed Idris urged the House to investigate the grounding of the aircraft because the House was concerned that: 

“this incident raises serious concerns as to the abuse of powers by the Executive and the use of state machinery to witch-hunt perceived political opponents which is extremely dangerous and detrimental to any democracy and tends towards dictatorship and draconian tendencies typical of military era.” (Emphasis mine).   

The failure to qualify and even disguise words such as “abuse of powers by the Executive,” or  “use of state machinery to witch-hunt perceived political opponents” clearly foreshadowed the outcome that was delivered on Thursday. One should be forgiven for thinking that a motion that proceeded with such a prejudiced mindset could be nothing else but a choreographed attempt to work to a preferred answer. If one wants to be charitable, this failure to properly clothe the hidden agenda could be excused on the grounds of inelegance in wording. But the way some members of the committee conducted themselves during the public hearing and the serial damages done to fairness and logic in their final report suggested that the report itself could have been written at the same time with the motion, and that the public hearing was just a tendentious shopping for details, a thinly veiled attempt at fulfilling all righteousness. 

At this point some disclosure is in order. I have followed this issue closely and I attended the hearing organized by the committees on 14 May 2013 as a consultant to one of the invited parties, Caverton Helicopters. Despite my initial misgivings but more on account of the huge respect I used to have for some principal officers of the House, I was ready to give the committees the benefit of the doubt. But the proceedings gave little ground for such optimism as it was clear that some of the members had made up their minds even before listening to the invited parties. One member kept interrupting invitees whose testimonies did not further the sexed-up narrative of political persecution. Another member famously staged a walkout. And yet another member kept making side remarks and issuing veiled and open threats of possible prosecution. Meanwhile, no one posed any tough question to the Rivers’ delegation or asked any member of the delegation to substantiate any of their claims. It was more than an easy ride for the Rivers’ crew. 

Now that the committees have done their job, it is time to ask them some questions based on the simple premise that as our representatives they are, in theory at least, put in that position to  act on behalf of their individual constituencies and all Nigerian citizens, not just for themselves and their allies. 

How come Rivers State Government was given a clean bill of health on all issues, including the egregious one of flying a plane with expired flight clearance? The last and disputed clearance that the plane secured had expired on 2 April 2013. Because foreign planes are allowed two days of grace, this means it was illegal for the plane to fly the Nigerian airspace from 4 April 2013. Throughout the hearing no one asked the Rivers State delegation why a state government (a custodian of law) was flying a plane illegally a clear two weeks after expiration of its flight permit. Rather, the committee turned the heat on the regulators for not doing their jobs properly. But if such allegation of regulatory laxity could be treated as fair, wait for item #10 under Observations and Conclusions on page 10 of the report: “Rivers State operated its aircraft with expired clearance between 2nd and 26th of April 2013; but several other aircraft are suspected to be in similar situation; isolation of Rivers State Government for reprimand becomes difficult to deny.” (Emphasis mine). 

Wow, wow, wow! This is not even the excuse by the Rivers State Government. It doesn’t have to bother: the committees will shop for excuses for it. If we break this apologia down for people who went to night schools like myself, this is what it means: someone caught committing a crime can claim s/he is being witch-hunted because others have not been caught. If you need a lame justification for impunity, you can’t get a worse one. And to think that such justification for breaking laws is coming from an institution that is charged with making laws for society. What? 

On a related matter, the pilot failed to write all the names of the occupants of the plane when its take-off was delayed in Akure on 26 April 2013. The pilot wrote only the name of the governor, the titles of his aides and “five others.” During the hearing, the pilot of the plane Capt. Tosin Odulaja agreed his co-pilot erred. But what do the committees have to say about this infraction? “This is clearly contrary to the regulation. However the committee established that several other manifests previously filed by the captain constantly mentioned one name only, “Rotimi Amaechi,” and there was never a recorded delayed start up on that account before the Akure event.”(Emphasis mine). In desperate pursuit of the persecution narrative, the committee seems unable to make up its mind. After stating that failure to fill out manifest with all names in full is clearly contrary to regulation, the committees supplants itself by vending an excuse that what is clearly contrary to regulation shouldn’t be an issue because it wasn’t objected to in the past. God Almighty, what kind of logic is that? 

In the second of their five recommendations, the committees called on the Attorney-General of the Federation to consider prosecuting Caverton Helicopters “for providing information that led the authorities to believe that Rivers State Government falsified documents thereby leading to grounding of its aircraft.” Even when this call is merely advisory, it is important to know how the committee arrived at such a weighty recommendation. 

For the purpose of those who have not been following this issue closely, Caverton Helicopters was contacted by ACASS, a Canadian firm, to apply for permission to import a plane for Rivers State Government in 2012. On the basis of this, the company sent a request to the Minister of Aviation on 27th August 2012. However, ACASS later informed Caverton Helicopters to stay action since it was no longer in charge of the aircraft. Caverton Helicopters said that was the last dealing it had on the aircraft. However, the company later discovered that since January this year several applications had been filed in its name to request for flight permits for the foreign registered aircraft to fly within Nigeria, the last of which expired on 2 April 2013. The company insists that these requests for flight permits for the aircraft were forged. Rivers State Government insists that the requests were not forged.  

There have been spirited attempts to create a side narrative as an adjunct to the persecution narrative by saying pressure was put on Caverton Helicopters to deny the Rivers State Government and to conflate request for importation with request for flight permits. Request for importation is request for importation; and request for flight clearance is request for flight clearance. The two are not, and cannot be, the same. It is interesting to note that as far back as February this year, the pilot of the aircraft confirmed to Eurocontol, an over-flight agency, that Caverton Helicopters had nothing to do with the aircraft and that all bills should be sent to him. A clear two months after, the pilot and his employers are conveniently changing their story. Despite all the information made available to it, the committees through their report claim that there is “agency relationship” between Caverton Helicopters and Rivers State, without providing any shred of evidence, and giving the impression that if the company wrote a letter of request on 27 August 2012, it also wrote the subsequent ones. The company has challenged the Rivers State Government to provide evidence of any contract, any mandate, and any payment to it for the said services. Or would a private company have provided services to it for free and without documentation?  

Essentially this is an issue of claim and counter-claim by two parties, and one that warrants thorough investigation. But without doing more than listening to two opposing accounts, without conducting independent investigations, without calling in forensic experts and security agencies to examine the issue of forgery, the committees declare, ex-cathedra: “if there was falsification, it was indeed not carried out by Rivers State Government….” (Emphasis mine). The Rivers State Government couldn’t have written it better! Pray, except by special oracular insight, how did the committees arrive at this conclusion upon which they built their recommendation for prosecution? Can partisanship plunge to lower depths? 

*Adio is the lead consultant at Think-Tank Consult and Publisher of Metropole magazine  

Holes in the House Report

Posted on by Aviation Nigeria with 1 comment
Aviation Nigeria

by Waziri Ado


The House of Representatives’ committees on Justice and Aviation on Thursday submitted a 12-page report on the grounding of Bombardier B700 Global Express (N565RS) said to belong to the Rivers State Government. Those looking for a neutral and objective report on this highly politicized issue should look elsewhere. Otherwise, they will be thoroughly disappointed. Instead of providing clarity and closure, the report throws up critical questions, especially on the motives and the credibility of the committees and the House itself. 

The first give-away of possible partisanship and of a potentially predictable outcome was embedded in the motion that gave rise to the mandate of the committees. In his motion of 30 April 2013, Hon. Ahmed Idris urged the House to investigate the grounding of the aircraft because the House was concerned that: 

“this incident raises serious concerns as to the abuse of powers by the Executive and the use of state machinery to witch-hunt perceived political opponents which is extremely dangerous and detrimental to any democracy and tends towards dictatorship and draconian tendencies typical of military era.” (Emphasis mine).   

The failure to qualify and even disguise words such as “abuse of powers by the Executive,” or  “use of state machinery to witch-hunt perceived political opponents” clearly foreshadowed the outcome that was delivered on Thursday. One should be forgiven for thinking that a motion that proceeded with such a prejudiced mindset could be nothing else but a choreographed attempt to work to a preferred answer. If one wants to be charitable, this failure to properly clothe the hidden agenda could be excused on the grounds of inelegance in wording. But the way some members of the committee conducted themselves during the public hearing and the serial damages done to fairness and logic in their final report suggested that the report itself could have been written at the same time with the motion, and that the public hearing was just a tendentious shopping for details, a thinly veiled attempt at fulfilling all righteousness. 

At this point some disclosure is in order. I have followed this issue closely and I attended the hearing organized by the committees on 14 May 2013 as a consultant to one of the invited parties, Caverton Helicopters. Despite my initial misgivings but more on account of the huge respect I used to have for some principal officers of the House, I was ready to give the committees the benefit of the doubt. But the proceedings gave little ground for such optimism as it was clear that some of the members had made up their minds even before listening to the invited parties. One member kept interrupting invitees whose testimonies did not further the sexed-up narrative of political persecution. Another member famously staged a walkout. And yet another member kept making side remarks and issuing veiled and open threats of possible prosecution. Meanwhile, no one posed any tough question to the Rivers’ delegation or asked any member of the delegation to substantiate any of their claims. It was more than an easy ride for the Rivers’ crew. 

Now that the committees have done their job, it is time to ask them some questions based on the simple premise that as our representatives they are, in theory at least, put in that position to  act on behalf of their individual constituencies and all Nigerian citizens, not just for themselves and their allies. 

How come Rivers State Government was given a clean bill of health on all issues, including the egregious one of flying a plane with expired flight clearance? The last and disputed clearance that the plane secured had expired on 2 April 2013. Because foreign planes are allowed two days of grace, this means it was illegal for the plane to fly the Nigerian airspace from 4 April 2013. Throughout the hearing no one asked the Rivers State delegation why a state government (a custodian of law) was flying a plane illegally a clear two weeks after expiration of its flight permit. Rather, the committee turned the heat on the regulators for not doing their jobs properly. But if such allegation of regulatory laxity could be treated as fair, wait for item #10 under Observations and Conclusions on page 10 of the report: “Rivers State operated its aircraft with expired clearance between 2nd and 26th of April 2013; but several other aircraft are suspected to be in similar situation; isolation of Rivers State Government for reprimand becomes difficult to deny.” (Emphasis mine). 

Wow, wow, wow! This is not even the excuse by the Rivers State Government. It doesn’t have to bother: the committees will shop for excuses for it. If we break this apologia down for people who went to night schools like myself, this is what it means: someone caught committing a crime can claim s/he is being witch-hunted because others have not been caught. If you need a lame justification for impunity, you can’t get a worse one. And to think that such justification for breaking laws is coming from an institution that is charged with making laws for society. What? 

On a related matter, the pilot failed to write all the names of the occupants of the plane when its take-off was delayed in Akure on 26 April 2013. The pilot wrote only the name of the governor, the titles of his aides and “five others.” During the hearing, the pilot of the plane Capt. Tosin Odulaja agreed his co-pilot erred. But what do the committees have to say about this infraction? “This is clearly contrary to the regulation. However the committee established that several other manifests previously filed by the captain constantly mentioned one name only, “Rotimi Amaechi,” and there was never a recorded delayed start up on that account before the Akure event.”(Emphasis mine). In desperate pursuit of the persecution narrative, the committee seems unable to make up its mind. After stating that failure to fill out manifest with all names in full is clearly contrary to regulation, the committees supplants itself by vending an excuse that what is clearly contrary to regulation shouldn’t be an issue because it wasn’t objected to in the past. God Almighty, what kind of logic is that? 

In the second of their five recommendations, the committees called on the Attorney-General of the Federation to consider prosecuting Caverton Helicopters “for providing information that led the authorities to believe that Rivers State Government falsified documents thereby leading to grounding of its aircraft.” Even when this call is merely advisory, it is important to know how the committee arrived at such a weighty recommendation. 

For the purpose of those who have not been following this issue closely, Caverton Helicopters was contacted by ACASS, a Canadian firm, to apply for permission to import a plane for Rivers State Government in 2012. On the basis of this, the company sent a request to the Minister of Aviation on 27th August 2012. However, ACASS later informed Caverton Helicopters to stay action since it was no longer in charge of the aircraft. Caverton Helicopters said that was the last dealing it had on the aircraft. However, the company later discovered that since January this year several applications had been filed in its name to request for flight permits for the foreign registered aircraft to fly within Nigeria, the last of which expired on 2 April 2013. The company insists that these requests for flight permits for the aircraft were forged. Rivers State Government insists that the requests were not forged.  

There have been spirited attempts to create a side narrative as an adjunct to the persecution narrative by saying pressure was put on Caverton Helicopters to deny the Rivers State Government and to conflate request for importation with request for flight permits. Request for importation is request for importation; and request for flight clearance is request for flight clearance. The two are not, and cannot be, the same. It is interesting to note that as far back as February this year, the pilot of the aircraft confirmed to Eurocontol, an over-flight agency, that Caverton Helicopters had nothing to do with the aircraft and that all bills should be sent to him. A clear two months after, the pilot and his employers are conveniently changing their story. Despite all the information made available to it, the committees through their report claim that there is “agency relationship” between Caverton Helicopters and Rivers State, without providing any shred of evidence, and giving the impression that if the company wrote a letter of request on 27 August 2012, it also wrote the subsequent ones. The company has challenged the Rivers State Government to provide evidence of any contract, any mandate, and any payment to it for the said services. Or would a private company have provided services to it for free and without documentation?  

Essentially this is an issue of claim and counter-claim by two parties, and one that warrants thorough investigation. But without doing more than listening to two opposing accounts, without conducting independent investigations, without calling in forensic experts and security agencies to examine the issue of forgery, the committees declare, ex-cathedra: “if there was falsification, it was indeed not carried out by Rivers State Government….” (Emphasis mine). The Rivers State Government couldn’t have written it better! Pray, except by special oracular insight, how did the committees arrive at this conclusion upon which they built their recommendation for prosecution? Can partisanship plunge to lower depths? 

*Adio is the lead consultant at Think-Tank Consult and Publisher of Metropole magazine  

Aviation Nigeria


Pilots have been advised to be very cautious and take precaution during flight operations   as violent weather is becoming more frequent within the country’s airspace as the wet season sets in.

The advise was given by the Director General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency, [NIMET] Dr Anthony Anuforom  in an interview with newsmen shortly after delivering an induction lecture organized by the Nigerian Academy of Science.

Dr Anuforom explained that in some locations that the frequency of occurrence of  thunder storms was increasing adding that the rainfall pattern this year would  be similar to that of last year.

“The rainfall pattern this year was going to be similar with that of last year. In terms of what is happening in the air, those things are there because violent weather, extreme weather effect is becoming more and more frequent. In some locations, frequent of occurrence of thunderstorms are increasing and which means that there have to be more precaution on the part of pilots and everybody.”

The NIMET boss however declared that it was a challenge to the agency which required constant watch adding that there was nothing to worry about as the agency has been equipped by the government to give real time weather conditions.

“Fortunately for us government has encouraged us by providing us with equipment we need and to sustain and live with challenge of maintaining it”.

Dr Anuforom revealed that the agency was getting more and more accurate in its prediction as attested to by the fact that the aeronautical metrological service scaled the ISO 001 quality management  audit and that  the agency would continue to render accurate and quality meteorology services to Nigerians.

On the precautions being taken by some state government to avert disaster following this year’s rainfall predictions by NIMET, Dr Anuforom said it was a welcome development that the Governors forum was concerned about the predictions as the forum has written for collaboration with NIMET.

NIMET Cautions Pilots Over Prevalent Violent Weather

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Aviation Nigeria


Pilots have been advised to be very cautious and take precaution during flight operations   as violent weather is becoming more frequent within the country’s airspace as the wet season sets in.

The advise was given by the Director General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency, [NIMET] Dr Anthony Anuforom  in an interview with newsmen shortly after delivering an induction lecture organized by the Nigerian Academy of Science.

Dr Anuforom explained that in some locations that the frequency of occurrence of  thunder storms was increasing adding that the rainfall pattern this year would  be similar to that of last year.

“The rainfall pattern this year was going to be similar with that of last year. In terms of what is happening in the air, those things are there because violent weather, extreme weather effect is becoming more and more frequent. In some locations, frequent of occurrence of thunderstorms are increasing and which means that there have to be more precaution on the part of pilots and everybody.”

The NIMET boss however declared that it was a challenge to the agency which required constant watch adding that there was nothing to worry about as the agency has been equipped by the government to give real time weather conditions.

“Fortunately for us government has encouraged us by providing us with equipment we need and to sustain and live with challenge of maintaining it”.

Dr Anuforom revealed that the agency was getting more and more accurate in its prediction as attested to by the fact that the aeronautical metrological service scaled the ISO 001 quality management  audit and that  the agency would continue to render accurate and quality meteorology services to Nigerians.

On the precautions being taken by some state government to avert disaster following this year’s rainfall predictions by NIMET, Dr Anuforom said it was a welcome development that the Governors forum was concerned about the predictions as the forum has written for collaboration with NIMET.

Friday, 24 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria


A report by the House Committee on Justice and Aviation has indicted both the Caverton Helicopters and the Ministry of Aviation.

The House Committee sat after a controversial grounding of an aircraft belonging to the Rivers State government was followed up by allegations from the aviation authorities of cases involving document falsification by Caverton Helicopters.

The 11-page committee report was jointly signed by the House Committee Chairman on Justice, Ali Ahmad, and his Aviation counterpart, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha. The House had composed the committee on April 30, 2013 to probe the grounding of the aircraft by the NCAA.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority late last month grounded a BD 700 aircraft allegedly belonging to the River State Government and thereafter accused Caverton Helicopters of falsifying permits used in its operations in Nigeria.

The committee first sat on May 14, 2013 and took testimonies from officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA), the Nigeria Aviation Management Authority (NAMA), Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, as well as officials of Caverton Helicopters and the Rivers State Government.

The report, submitted by the investigating committees to the House plenary Thursday, stated that federal aviation authorities may have deliberately refused to acknowledge Rivers State’s ownership of the aircraft.

Faulting some actions of the aviation authorities, the report added: “It was unacceptable that NCAA did not detect this fact for over six months; indeed NCAA stated in a letter dated 29th April, 2013 that following the incident it undertook a due diligence of the status of the aircraft, but even then it failed to determine the issue of ownership and several others.

The committee also pointed out that investigations indicated that other airlines were also involved in operating in the country while still being un-registered bringing questions to the actions of the aviation authority.
The report stated:

“Rivers State Government operated its aircraft with expired clearance between 2nd and 26th April, 2013; but several other aircraft are suspected to be in similar situation; isolation of Rivers State Government for reprimand becomes difficult to deny.

The committee stated that its finding also indicated that Caverton Helicopters willfully misled the authorities by denying it acted on behalf of Rivers State and recommended officials of the company be prosecuted.
It also maintained that: “Caverton should be held accountable for providing information that led NCAA to ground the aircraft, contrary to provision of the law.

The report was concluded with a recommendation that the House Committee on Aviation be mandated to scrutinize the reason for rampant foreign registration of aircraft by their owners and to further investigate all private-use aircraft operating in the country.

House committee report indicts Caverton Helicopters, Aviation Ministry

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Aviation Nigeria


A report by the House Committee on Justice and Aviation has indicted both the Caverton Helicopters and the Ministry of Aviation.

The House Committee sat after a controversial grounding of an aircraft belonging to the Rivers State government was followed up by allegations from the aviation authorities of cases involving document falsification by Caverton Helicopters.

The 11-page committee report was jointly signed by the House Committee Chairman on Justice, Ali Ahmad, and his Aviation counterpart, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha. The House had composed the committee on April 30, 2013 to probe the grounding of the aircraft by the NCAA.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority late last month grounded a BD 700 aircraft allegedly belonging to the River State Government and thereafter accused Caverton Helicopters of falsifying permits used in its operations in Nigeria.

The committee first sat on May 14, 2013 and took testimonies from officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA), the Nigeria Aviation Management Authority (NAMA), Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, as well as officials of Caverton Helicopters and the Rivers State Government.

The report, submitted by the investigating committees to the House plenary Thursday, stated that federal aviation authorities may have deliberately refused to acknowledge Rivers State’s ownership of the aircraft.

Faulting some actions of the aviation authorities, the report added: “It was unacceptable that NCAA did not detect this fact for over six months; indeed NCAA stated in a letter dated 29th April, 2013 that following the incident it undertook a due diligence of the status of the aircraft, but even then it failed to determine the issue of ownership and several others.

The committee also pointed out that investigations indicated that other airlines were also involved in operating in the country while still being un-registered bringing questions to the actions of the aviation authority.
The report stated:

“Rivers State Government operated its aircraft with expired clearance between 2nd and 26th April, 2013; but several other aircraft are suspected to be in similar situation; isolation of Rivers State Government for reprimand becomes difficult to deny.

The committee stated that its finding also indicated that Caverton Helicopters willfully misled the authorities by denying it acted on behalf of Rivers State and recommended officials of the company be prosecuted.
It also maintained that: “Caverton should be held accountable for providing information that led NCAA to ground the aircraft, contrary to provision of the law.

The report was concluded with a recommendation that the House Committee on Aviation be mandated to scrutinize the reason for rampant foreign registration of aircraft by their owners and to further investigate all private-use aircraft operating in the country.

Thursday, 23 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria


Foreign registered private jets have began to opt of out operations in Nigeria with the recent policy by the Federal Government which limits their stay within the country to 15 days.

Aviation authorities say about 20 private jets registered abroad but flying in Nigeria may have left the country in barely one month.

Aviation sources also say the foreign-registered planes have been operating in the country under the auspices of private operators on ad-hoc basis but end up doing commercial business with charter.

A top aviation official said, "Many of the foreign-registered private jets flying illegally in Nigeria have started leaving the country. They are illegal because most of them have been carrying out illegal charter services in the country."

The National Civil Aviation Policy, 2013 was unveiled over three weeks ago with clear cut rules for private jet ownership and operations in the country.

Among other stringent rules, all foreign-registered private jets will no longer be allowed to stay in the country beyond 15 days as recommended by the NCAP.

It, however also states that foreign-registered private jets on special mission in Nigeria will be allowed to stay for 60 days.

The other option for owners of private jets with foreign registration is to de-register them and subsequently register them in Nigeria, according to some industry experts.

"I think what the government is saying is that most of these people should go and de-register their planes and put them on Nigerian registration," an industry CEO, who pleaded not to be named, told our correspondent.

Aviation sources said that about 50 private jets were currently carrying out illegal charter services in the country.

NCAP: Foreign registered jets opt out of operations

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Aviation Nigeria


Foreign registered private jets have began to opt of out operations in Nigeria with the recent policy by the Federal Government which limits their stay within the country to 15 days.

Aviation authorities say about 20 private jets registered abroad but flying in Nigeria may have left the country in barely one month.

Aviation sources also say the foreign-registered planes have been operating in the country under the auspices of private operators on ad-hoc basis but end up doing commercial business with charter.

A top aviation official said, "Many of the foreign-registered private jets flying illegally in Nigeria have started leaving the country. They are illegal because most of them have been carrying out illegal charter services in the country."

The National Civil Aviation Policy, 2013 was unveiled over three weeks ago with clear cut rules for private jet ownership and operations in the country.

Among other stringent rules, all foreign-registered private jets will no longer be allowed to stay in the country beyond 15 days as recommended by the NCAP.

It, however also states that foreign-registered private jets on special mission in Nigeria will be allowed to stay for 60 days.

The other option for owners of private jets with foreign registration is to de-register them and subsequently register them in Nigeria, according to some industry experts.

"I think what the government is saying is that most of these people should go and de-register their planes and put them on Nigerian registration," an industry CEO, who pleaded not to be named, told our correspondent.

Aviation sources said that about 50 private jets were currently carrying out illegal charter services in the country.
Aviation Nigeria


A new policy regulating the operation of commercial airlines and private jets in the country has been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The FEC maintained that the NCAP 2013 was approved by the council to ensure the Nigerian Aviation sector operates in line with international best practices.

Speaking at a press briefing, Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah stated that the policy addressed major issues regarding the latest technology to drive the aviation sector to a new level.

The policy which was last reviewed 11 years ago also affects the position of foreign private jets operated within the country.

FEC approves new aviation policy

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Aviation Nigeria


A new policy regulating the operation of commercial airlines and private jets in the country has been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The FEC maintained that the NCAP 2013 was approved by the council to ensure the Nigerian Aviation sector operates in line with international best practices.

Speaking at a press briefing, Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah stated that the policy addressed major issues regarding the latest technology to drive the aviation sector to a new level.

The policy which was last reviewed 11 years ago also affects the position of foreign private jets operated within the country.

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria


The directors of the movie 'Last Flight to Abuja' has said it plans to donate half of the movies proceeds to victims of the June 2012 Dana crash victims.

Movie Producer & Director Obi Emelonye speaking about the project said:

"I wanted to make a film about a subject matter that I have been very passionate about. I never wanted to make an issue based film. But when the crash of June 3, 2012 happened only five days to our London premiere, I became involved."

Emolonye said he was inspired by the event to create the movie and try to inspire a spirit of hope.

'Last Flight to Abuja' made over N8.5m in its first week on the Box Office charts, with casts including top Nollywood stars Omotola Jolade Ekehinde, Jim Iyke, Hakeem Kae Kazim, Uche Odoputa, Franca Brown, Jide Kososo and Uru Eke.

"After watching the film, I want people to leave with a sense of optimism that not all plane accidents end up in disaster."

The movie director also said he still commended air travel as the safest mode in Nigeria and everywhere in the world.

The movie also won an award for " Best Film By An African Abroad" at AMAA 2013 in Bayelsa.

Last Flight to Abuja' donates proceeds to Dana crash victims

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Aviation Nigeria


The directors of the movie 'Last Flight to Abuja' has said it plans to donate half of the movies proceeds to victims of the June 2012 Dana crash victims.

Movie Producer & Director Obi Emelonye speaking about the project said:

"I wanted to make a film about a subject matter that I have been very passionate about. I never wanted to make an issue based film. But when the crash of June 3, 2012 happened only five days to our London premiere, I became involved."

Emolonye said he was inspired by the event to create the movie and try to inspire a spirit of hope.

'Last Flight to Abuja' made over N8.5m in its first week on the Box Office charts, with casts including top Nollywood stars Omotola Jolade Ekehinde, Jim Iyke, Hakeem Kae Kazim, Uche Odoputa, Franca Brown, Jide Kososo and Uru Eke.

"After watching the film, I want people to leave with a sense of optimism that not all plane accidents end up in disaster."

The movie director also said he still commended air travel as the safest mode in Nigeria and everywhere in the world.

The movie also won an award for " Best Film By An African Abroad" at AMAA 2013 in Bayelsa.
Aviation Nigeria

Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University and Chief Medical Examiner Prof. John  Obafunwa may have his testimony in the Dana inquest struck out on grounds of repeated absence from couurt proceedings.

The coroner, Mr. Oyetade Komolafe stated that Obafunwa's testimony would be closed and the court would proceed if he fails to appear in court.

“We will close that matter and will continue our proceedings,” Komolafe said.

The coroner also re-scheduled one of AIB’s consultants, Prof. Adekunbi Banjo, who had sought to refute certain allegations by Obafunwa, to appear in court on the same date with the Chief Medical Examiner.

The Lagos State Coroner court in Ikeja conducting an inquest into the crash had slated two hearing to cross-examine the pathologist and Obafunwa had been absent on both occassions.
Obafunwa who is a forensic pathologist had earlier testified on the probable causes of the death of the victims and provided the details of autopsy tests alongside the identification processes conducted on their bodies.

Counsel representing the Lagos State Government in the proceedings, Mr. Akinjide Bakare, restated on Tuesday that the Obafunawa was absent from court because of his 'University Duties'.

Although Obafunwa’s testimony has remained crucial to the inquest, Counsel for Dana Airline, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), who was set to cross-examine Obafunwa, on Tuesday expressed disappointment over Obafunwa’s absence from court.

He said the adjournments suffered by the inquest were avoidable, if the offices of LASU’s Vice-Chancellor and the Lagos State Chief Medical Examiner were not being occupied by the same person.

The coroner, Mr. Oyetade Komolafe, who had wished to conclude the proceedings within the week, was forced to fix July 3 and 4 for the forensic pathologist to appear in court.

In related development, Dana’s Director of Flight, Mr. Oscar Wilson, is expected to appear in court on Wednesday for cross-examination.

Coroner court may strike out pathologists testimony on Dana crash

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Aviation Nigeria

Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University and Chief Medical Examiner Prof. John  Obafunwa may have his testimony in the Dana inquest struck out on grounds of repeated absence from couurt proceedings.

The coroner, Mr. Oyetade Komolafe stated that Obafunwa's testimony would be closed and the court would proceed if he fails to appear in court.

“We will close that matter and will continue our proceedings,” Komolafe said.

The coroner also re-scheduled one of AIB’s consultants, Prof. Adekunbi Banjo, who had sought to refute certain allegations by Obafunwa, to appear in court on the same date with the Chief Medical Examiner.

The Lagos State Coroner court in Ikeja conducting an inquest into the crash had slated two hearing to cross-examine the pathologist and Obafunwa had been absent on both occassions.
Obafunwa who is a forensic pathologist had earlier testified on the probable causes of the death of the victims and provided the details of autopsy tests alongside the identification processes conducted on their bodies.

Counsel representing the Lagos State Government in the proceedings, Mr. Akinjide Bakare, restated on Tuesday that the Obafunawa was absent from court because of his 'University Duties'.

Although Obafunwa’s testimony has remained crucial to the inquest, Counsel for Dana Airline, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), who was set to cross-examine Obafunwa, on Tuesday expressed disappointment over Obafunwa’s absence from court.

He said the adjournments suffered by the inquest were avoidable, if the offices of LASU’s Vice-Chancellor and the Lagos State Chief Medical Examiner were not being occupied by the same person.

The coroner, Mr. Oyetade Komolafe, who had wished to conclude the proceedings within the week, was forced to fix July 3 and 4 for the forensic pathologist to appear in court.

In related development, Dana’s Director of Flight, Mr. Oscar Wilson, is expected to appear in court on Wednesday for cross-examination.

Tuesday, 21 May 2013


Aviation Nigeria

by Tahir Sherriff
The remains of literary icon Prof. Chinua Achebe passed through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja earlier today to his hometown of Enugu in what is to be a series of rites which will climax with his interment on Thursday, in his hometown, Ogidi, Anambra state.

Chinua Achebe's body arrived Enugu at 12.35pm Tuesday, via a chattered Overland jet which took of from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

The body was received by close family members including his wife, Christie Achebe and other close family members.

His body was afterwards driven to the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus where it is currently on display for tributes by the academic community.

The Nigerian author and towering man of letters whose internationally acclaimed fiction helped to revive African literature and to rewrite the story of a continent that had long been told by Western voices, died in March in a Boston hospital. He was 82 years.

His agent in London said he had died after a brief illness.  Prof. Achebe had used a wheelchair since a car accident in Nigeria in 1990 left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Chinua Achebe caught the world’s attention with his first novel, “Things Fall Apart.” Published in 1958, when he was 28, the book would become a classic of world literature and required reading for students, selling more than 10 million copies in 45 languages.

The story was inspired by the history of his own family, part of the Ibo nation of southeastern Nigeria, a people victimized by the racism of British colonial administrators.

'Things Fall Apart' gave expression to Mr. Achebe’s first stirrings of anti-colonialism and a desire to use literature as a weapon against Western biases. As if to sharpen it with irony, he borrowed from the Western canon itself in using as its title a line from Yeats’s apocalyptic poem 'The Second Coming'

“In the end, I began to understand,” Mr. Achebe later wrote. “There is such a thing as absolute power over narrative. Those who secure this privilege for themselves can arrange stories about others pretty much where, and as, they like.”

Though Prof. Achebe spent his later decades teaching at American universities, most recently at Brown, his writings — novels, stories, poems, essays and memoirs — were almost invariably rooted in the countryside and cities of his native Nigeria. His most memorable fictional characters were buffeted and bewildered by the competing pulls of traditional African culture and invasive Western values.

Achebe departs Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja for final resting place

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Aviation Nigeria

by Tahir Sherriff
The remains of literary icon Prof. Chinua Achebe passed through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja earlier today to his hometown of Enugu in what is to be a series of rites which will climax with his interment on Thursday, in his hometown, Ogidi, Anambra state.

Chinua Achebe's body arrived Enugu at 12.35pm Tuesday, via a chattered Overland jet which took of from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

The body was received by close family members including his wife, Christie Achebe and other close family members.

His body was afterwards driven to the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus where it is currently on display for tributes by the academic community.

The Nigerian author and towering man of letters whose internationally acclaimed fiction helped to revive African literature and to rewrite the story of a continent that had long been told by Western voices, died in March in a Boston hospital. He was 82 years.

His agent in London said he had died after a brief illness.  Prof. Achebe had used a wheelchair since a car accident in Nigeria in 1990 left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Chinua Achebe caught the world’s attention with his first novel, “Things Fall Apart.” Published in 1958, when he was 28, the book would become a classic of world literature and required reading for students, selling more than 10 million copies in 45 languages.

The story was inspired by the history of his own family, part of the Ibo nation of southeastern Nigeria, a people victimized by the racism of British colonial administrators.

'Things Fall Apart' gave expression to Mr. Achebe’s first stirrings of anti-colonialism and a desire to use literature as a weapon against Western biases. As if to sharpen it with irony, he borrowed from the Western canon itself in using as its title a line from Yeats’s apocalyptic poem 'The Second Coming'

“In the end, I began to understand,” Mr. Achebe later wrote. “There is such a thing as absolute power over narrative. Those who secure this privilege for themselves can arrange stories about others pretty much where, and as, they like.”

Though Prof. Achebe spent his later decades teaching at American universities, most recently at Brown, his writings — novels, stories, poems, essays and memoirs — were almost invariably rooted in the countryside and cities of his native Nigeria. His most memorable fictional characters were buffeted and bewildered by the competing pulls of traditional African culture and invasive Western values.

Aviation Nigeria

By Yakubu Dati


In his book on visionary leadership, Burt Nanus made an apt quote that pertinently captures what is currently happening in Nigeria’s aviation sector. Nanus wrote “there is no more powerful engine driving an organisation toward excellence and long range success than an attractive, worthwhile, achievable vision for the future, widely shared”.

For several years, the airports in Nigeria deteriorated into nothingness and became the poster of our collective shame. The worse of the lot of these critical aviation infrastructures were the smaller airport terminals –especially the ones erroneously referred to as un-viable routes.  However all that is in the past now as all airports across the length and breadth of Nigeria are receiving the requisite attention irrespective of geography, most importantly strategic partnerships are being formed by stakeholders to ensure that their functionality is sustainable. They greatest strategic thinking however is the marriage of agriculture, aviation and commerce. The trio of these are set to transform the small holder farmer from a life of despondent subsistence farming to a life of reaping bountiful harvests of immense values for what was sown.

In the weeks building up to the commissioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu political naysayers whose stock in trade has become the onerous task of revisionism and re-writing the trends and transformation strides of the current government; they found it expedient, latched on the familiar band wagon of negativism that the airport commissioning and subsequent town hall was done strategically to gain and garner South Eastern votes in the coming 2015 elections. The subtle question however to these naysayers is that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is the President of Nigeria and as such since he has sworn to protect the integrity of the constitution, then it has become a mandamus to spread evenly the dividends of democracy.

As the President rightly pointed out, the South East Zone, as an industrial and business hub needs the requisite aviation infrastructure to function. No serious business region all over the world will overlook the imperatives of air travel.

As he made to cut the ribbon, to launch the terminal and its facilities, the President, wearing the resplendent black Kaftan, adorned the ubiquitous red cap of pristine honour associated with nobility in the South East declared “I commission this airport terminal for the entire use of the region”. This statement typifies the present government’s commitment to further grow Enugu into a hub of air travel.

On completion, International Terminal has a total floor area of 25,000 square meters and the capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum. The entire project will cost 13.3 billion Naira and it is expected that it will be completed within 24 months.

According to the Minister of Aviation, “the five terminals across the country are not the only elements of this transformation process; even  before starting these five new projects we started remodelling all 22 current terminals in FAAN network. In fact, next week we will witness the commissioning of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri Terminal and the Yola Airport Terminal”.

The transformation flight of the Ministry of Aviation of which the minister, Princess Stella Oduah, confessed that the President Jonathan is the motivator and inspiration is not done yet, the flight’s trajectory continues to transverse the length and breadth of the country, seeking to sustain the positive turning fortunes of the ministry. In the parochial and irrational thinking that sometimes pervades Africa it is often assumed that women cannot deliver when entrusted with the task of delivering dividends of democracy. However President Jonathan’s leap of faith by appointing several female ministers is paying off in sectors such as finance, housing, education and above all aviation. One doesn’t need to go far to see why Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah is referred to as the amazon. She is bequeathing diligent service and a robust functional aviation sector  to Nigeria and Nigerians.



Akanu Ibiam Airport: President Jonathan’s Master Stroke

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Aviation Nigeria

By Yakubu Dati


In his book on visionary leadership, Burt Nanus made an apt quote that pertinently captures what is currently happening in Nigeria’s aviation sector. Nanus wrote “there is no more powerful engine driving an organisation toward excellence and long range success than an attractive, worthwhile, achievable vision for the future, widely shared”.

For several years, the airports in Nigeria deteriorated into nothingness and became the poster of our collective shame. The worse of the lot of these critical aviation infrastructures were the smaller airport terminals –especially the ones erroneously referred to as un-viable routes.  However all that is in the past now as all airports across the length and breadth of Nigeria are receiving the requisite attention irrespective of geography, most importantly strategic partnerships are being formed by stakeholders to ensure that their functionality is sustainable. They greatest strategic thinking however is the marriage of agriculture, aviation and commerce. The trio of these are set to transform the small holder farmer from a life of despondent subsistence farming to a life of reaping bountiful harvests of immense values for what was sown.

In the weeks building up to the commissioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu political naysayers whose stock in trade has become the onerous task of revisionism and re-writing the trends and transformation strides of the current government; they found it expedient, latched on the familiar band wagon of negativism that the airport commissioning and subsequent town hall was done strategically to gain and garner South Eastern votes in the coming 2015 elections. The subtle question however to these naysayers is that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is the President of Nigeria and as such since he has sworn to protect the integrity of the constitution, then it has become a mandamus to spread evenly the dividends of democracy.

As the President rightly pointed out, the South East Zone, as an industrial and business hub needs the requisite aviation infrastructure to function. No serious business region all over the world will overlook the imperatives of air travel.

As he made to cut the ribbon, to launch the terminal and its facilities, the President, wearing the resplendent black Kaftan, adorned the ubiquitous red cap of pristine honour associated with nobility in the South East declared “I commission this airport terminal for the entire use of the region”. This statement typifies the present government’s commitment to further grow Enugu into a hub of air travel.

On completion, International Terminal has a total floor area of 25,000 square meters and the capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum. The entire project will cost 13.3 billion Naira and it is expected that it will be completed within 24 months.

According to the Minister of Aviation, “the five terminals across the country are not the only elements of this transformation process; even  before starting these five new projects we started remodelling all 22 current terminals in FAAN network. In fact, next week we will witness the commissioning of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri Terminal and the Yola Airport Terminal”.

The transformation flight of the Ministry of Aviation of which the minister, Princess Stella Oduah, confessed that the President Jonathan is the motivator and inspiration is not done yet, the flight’s trajectory continues to transverse the length and breadth of the country, seeking to sustain the positive turning fortunes of the ministry. In the parochial and irrational thinking that sometimes pervades Africa it is often assumed that women cannot deliver when entrusted with the task of delivering dividends of democracy. However President Jonathan’s leap of faith by appointing several female ministers is paying off in sectors such as finance, housing, education and above all aviation. One doesn’t need to go far to see why Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah is referred to as the amazon. She is bequeathing diligent service and a robust functional aviation sector  to Nigeria and Nigerians.



Aviation Nigeria


The Murtala Muhammad Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 2.7 million dollars (or N432 million) from five suspected money launderers while attempting to travel abroad.

The Public Relations Officers of the command, Mrs Thelma Williams,  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that the arrests were made between January and March 2013.
She said that the command also arrested 12 suspects with 13.8 million (N2.2 billion) dollars from September to December 2012.

Williams said that there was no law banning travellers from taking money out of the country but the money must be declared by the traveller before being taken out.

“From 10, 000 dollars there must be a declaration. We have a form there on which travellers make a declaration stating the source of the money they are carrying and what that money is meant for. We’ll leave one og the forms here and send a copy to EFCC.

“They would go with a copy because there are some countries that would ask travellers to produce that.

“Sometimes we even have letters from some of these countries. They want to know if so, so person passed through our airport and if he made such a declaration so that it won’t look as if it is a fake declaration.

“You don’t pay any amount of money to declare. The money is yours; it’s just for you to declare. I have so, so amount of money with me that I am travelling out with.

“I think why they are running away from this declaration now is because government is interested. Sometimes it could be money laundering. Government is interested.

“Those that are running away I want to believe are those that are laundering the money,.“

Williams advised the travellers to make sure that the amount they would go out with is well declared, adding that the money should be changed at a registered  commercial bank and Bureau De Change.

She said that the five suspects and the monies involved had been handed over to the EFCC for further interrogation.

Williams said that the command also generated N2.3 billion in April 2013 up from N2.2 billion it recorded in the corresponding period of 2012.

She said that agents’ compliance with the law at the airport had resulted to increase in revenue collection.

Customs intercept $2.7m from 5 suspects at MMA

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Aviation Nigeria


The Murtala Muhammad Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 2.7 million dollars (or N432 million) from five suspected money launderers while attempting to travel abroad.

The Public Relations Officers of the command, Mrs Thelma Williams,  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that the arrests were made between January and March 2013.
She said that the command also arrested 12 suspects with 13.8 million (N2.2 billion) dollars from September to December 2012.

Williams said that there was no law banning travellers from taking money out of the country but the money must be declared by the traveller before being taken out.

“From 10, 000 dollars there must be a declaration. We have a form there on which travellers make a declaration stating the source of the money they are carrying and what that money is meant for. We’ll leave one og the forms here and send a copy to EFCC.

“They would go with a copy because there are some countries that would ask travellers to produce that.

“Sometimes we even have letters from some of these countries. They want to know if so, so person passed through our airport and if he made such a declaration so that it won’t look as if it is a fake declaration.

“You don’t pay any amount of money to declare. The money is yours; it’s just for you to declare. I have so, so amount of money with me that I am travelling out with.

“I think why they are running away from this declaration now is because government is interested. Sometimes it could be money laundering. Government is interested.

“Those that are running away I want to believe are those that are laundering the money,.“

Williams advised the travellers to make sure that the amount they would go out with is well declared, adding that the money should be changed at a registered  commercial bank and Bureau De Change.

She said that the five suspects and the monies involved had been handed over to the EFCC for further interrogation.

Williams said that the command also generated N2.3 billion in April 2013 up from N2.2 billion it recorded in the corresponding period of 2012.

She said that agents’ compliance with the law at the airport had resulted to increase in revenue collection.

Monday, 20 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria

 An intended strike action by two industrial unions of the aviation sector has been shelved aside.


This was made known in a press release by the Special Adviser to the Honorable Minister of Aviation, Joe Obi.

Members of The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) who had planned embark on a strike action, withdrew their decision after consultations earlier today.

The decision reached by the Union on shelving the strike action followed the outcome of a meeting convened in Abuja by heads of both unions with the Honorable Minister of Labor and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu and the management of National Airspace Management Agency(NAMA).

The union leaders presented issues which they claimed necessitated the intended strike action, however the Federal Ministry of Labor and Productivity maintained that they had not been properly notified by the unions.

Resolutions were reached and jointly signed by the national presidents of both unions and Directors of NAMA, NATCA and FAAN as well as the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Productivity.

Aviation unions shelve strike action

Posted on by Aviation Nigeria with No comments
Aviation Nigeria

 An intended strike action by two industrial unions of the aviation sector has been shelved aside.


This was made known in a press release by the Special Adviser to the Honorable Minister of Aviation, Joe Obi.

Members of The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) who had planned embark on a strike action, withdrew their decision after consultations earlier today.

The decision reached by the Union on shelving the strike action followed the outcome of a meeting convened in Abuja by heads of both unions with the Honorable Minister of Labor and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu and the management of National Airspace Management Agency(NAMA).

The union leaders presented issues which they claimed necessitated the intended strike action, however the Federal Ministry of Labor and Productivity maintained that they had not been properly notified by the unions.

Resolutions were reached and jointly signed by the national presidents of both unions and Directors of NAMA, NATCA and FAAN as well as the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Productivity.
Aviation Nigeria


Arik Air, is seeking traffic rights and slot allocation from the Brazilian authorities to commence flights into the São Paulo airport, Arik said in a statement.

The statement quoted the Deputy Managing Director of Arik Air, Captain Ado Sanusi to have said the request for traffic rights and slot allocation into the São Paulo Airport is a follow up to the meeting between President Dr Goodluck Jonathan and his Brazillian counterpart for the restoration of air link between the two countries to boost trade relations and cultural ties.

Captain Sanusi said the restoration of direct air link between the two countries as regional leaders in Africa and South America will boost economic relationship, which will be accelerated with direct flights into major cities including Lagos and São Paulo.

Sanusi explained that Arik Air is working round the clock to ensure that within three months all arrangements are concluded for the commencement of flight into Brazil even as the airline will take delivery of more wide body aircraft to boost its long haul and international destinations.

The Arik Air deputy managing director said the carrier considers Brazil an important route for its operations, because it would eliminate the difficulties passengers go through in connecting flights into South America, from either Europe or the Middle East.

He explained that apart from saving passengers travel time, the restoration of direct air link between Nigeria and Brazil will create a robust window for investment opportunities between the two countries for players in the private sector who are seeking closer ties between Africa and South America.

Arik has maintained a readiness to cooperate with the Brazilian authorities in getting approval for the commencement of flight before the commencement of the Nigerian/Brazilian Bi-Commission conference scheduled for August 2013.

Arik to begin Nigeria and Brazil route in August

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Aviation Nigeria


Arik Air, is seeking traffic rights and slot allocation from the Brazilian authorities to commence flights into the São Paulo airport, Arik said in a statement.

The statement quoted the Deputy Managing Director of Arik Air, Captain Ado Sanusi to have said the request for traffic rights and slot allocation into the São Paulo Airport is a follow up to the meeting between President Dr Goodluck Jonathan and his Brazillian counterpart for the restoration of air link between the two countries to boost trade relations and cultural ties.

Captain Sanusi said the restoration of direct air link between the two countries as regional leaders in Africa and South America will boost economic relationship, which will be accelerated with direct flights into major cities including Lagos and São Paulo.

Sanusi explained that Arik Air is working round the clock to ensure that within three months all arrangements are concluded for the commencement of flight into Brazil even as the airline will take delivery of more wide body aircraft to boost its long haul and international destinations.

The Arik Air deputy managing director said the carrier considers Brazil an important route for its operations, because it would eliminate the difficulties passengers go through in connecting flights into South America, from either Europe or the Middle East.

He explained that apart from saving passengers travel time, the restoration of direct air link between Nigeria and Brazil will create a robust window for investment opportunities between the two countries for players in the private sector who are seeking closer ties between Africa and South America.

Arik has maintained a readiness to cooperate with the Brazilian authorities in getting approval for the commencement of flight before the commencement of the Nigerian/Brazilian Bi-Commission conference scheduled for August 2013.

Aviation Nigeria

The  Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has said it plans to test run its Automated Information System (AIS) in October.

The Director of  Safety Electronics  and Engineering Services (DSEES) of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr Ifeanyi Nwankwo made this announcement to journalists recently in Lagos.

Nwankwo who disclosed the level of work on the installation told aviation correspondents in Lagos, that the first phase of AIS automation which would be made up of 10 stations would come alive at the end of October this year.

Egnr Nwankwo said the agency envisaged the challenges of power failure and security adding that a hybrid solar station has been put in place for the equipment by the agency while NAMA engineers will be expected to monitor stations from time to time but needed security to do so.

The objective of the Aeronautical Information Service is to ensure the flow of information necessary for the safety, regularity and efficiency of international air navigation.

NAMA set to commence AIS in October

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Aviation Nigeria

The  Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has said it plans to test run its Automated Information System (AIS) in October.

The Director of  Safety Electronics  and Engineering Services (DSEES) of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr Ifeanyi Nwankwo made this announcement to journalists recently in Lagos.

Nwankwo who disclosed the level of work on the installation told aviation correspondents in Lagos, that the first phase of AIS automation which would be made up of 10 stations would come alive at the end of October this year.

Egnr Nwankwo said the agency envisaged the challenges of power failure and security adding that a hybrid solar station has been put in place for the equipment by the agency while NAMA engineers will be expected to monitor stations from time to time but needed security to do so.

The objective of the Aeronautical Information Service is to ensure the flow of information necessary for the safety, regularity and efficiency of international air navigation.

Sunday, 19 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria
by Alkasim Abdulkadir


All roads led to Enugu state Saturday 18 May, 2013 to commission the Akanu Ibiam reconstructed Airport Terminal and also to lay the foundation of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport. The dual ceremony was performed by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

While laying the foundation the president was assisted by the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Managing Director, FAAN, MR. George Uriesi and Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha

President Goodluck Jonathan while commissioning the airport terminal expressed his elation at the turnaround witnessed at the terminal. He also stated that the airport will improve economic activities in the entire region. The Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah in her speech at the occasion said

“The new international terminal with a total floor area of 25,000 square meters and the capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum will cost 13.3 billion naira and will be completed in 24 months.

“The 5 terminals across the country are not the only elements of this transformation process; even  before starting these 5 new projects we started remodelling all 22 current terminals in FAAN network in fact next week we will witness the commissioning of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri Terminal and the Yola Airport Terminal.

She also added that the aviation industry remain pivotal to the socio-economic development of our country as it is supposed to be and as we proclaim in our vision and the will to do what it takes to deliver.

Several dignitaries graced the occasion serving ministers from the South Eastern region who were on the entourage of the president; they were received by the governors and hosted by Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State. Amongst the dignitaries was Nigeria’s former Vice President in the second republic Chief Alex Ekwueme.

SE region stands still, as Jonathan commissions Akanu Ibiam Airport Enugu

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Aviation Nigeria
by Alkasim Abdulkadir


All roads led to Enugu state Saturday 18 May, 2013 to commission the Akanu Ibiam reconstructed Airport Terminal and also to lay the foundation of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport. The dual ceremony was performed by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

While laying the foundation the president was assisted by the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Managing Director, FAAN, MR. George Uriesi and Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha

President Goodluck Jonathan while commissioning the airport terminal expressed his elation at the turnaround witnessed at the terminal. He also stated that the airport will improve economic activities in the entire region. The Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah in her speech at the occasion said

“The new international terminal with a total floor area of 25,000 square meters and the capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum will cost 13.3 billion naira and will be completed in 24 months.

“The 5 terminals across the country are not the only elements of this transformation process; even  before starting these 5 new projects we started remodelling all 22 current terminals in FAAN network in fact next week we will witness the commissioning of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri Terminal and the Yola Airport Terminal.

She also added that the aviation industry remain pivotal to the socio-economic development of our country as it is supposed to be and as we proclaim in our vision and the will to do what it takes to deliver.

Several dignitaries graced the occasion serving ministers from the South Eastern region who were on the entourage of the president; they were received by the governors and hosted by Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State. Amongst the dignitaries was Nigeria’s former Vice President in the second republic Chief Alex Ekwueme.

Aviation Nigeria


President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan recently commissioned the newly remodeled Akanu Ibiam International airport, Enugu.

The President also laid the Foundation Stone for the new International Terminal building at the airport, said his administration will not rest on it’s oars until all it’s campaign promises have been delivered to the people.

Speaking during the commissioning, President Jonathan said the ceremony is not only a fulfillment of his campaign promise in 2010 to give the South East geo-political zone a befitting international airport, but also a tip of the iceberg of what is to come to the zone in his transformation agenda.

He noted that the commissioning of the remodeled terminal is part of: "A national effort at transforming the country’s air transport industry into one that is pivotal to socio-economic development of the country as it ought to be”.

The programme is ambitious, covering all 22 airports under the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN). It involves the remodeling of all 22 airport terminals within three years, by modernizing, expanding, and upgrading the facilities in line with international standards.

The President noted that already, the General Aviation Terminals (GAT) in Lagos and Abuja, the Benin and Kano remodeled terminals were all commissioned in quick succession earlier in the year, adding that in the following weeks, the Dr. Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport terminal as well as the the remodeled Yola airport would be commissioned.

“I also know that work in Jos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Sokoto, Ilorin, Maiduguri and the Murtala Mohammed International Terminals are at various stages of completion and that these projects will completely change the airport experience of Nigerians and our visitors alike, when completed. the President 

The President lamented that ever since the various airports in the country were built about three decades ago, they had faced little or no developments until the recent efforts, following his approval of the Aviation Master Plan and Road Map.

On the new International terminal for which he performed the Foundation Laying ceremony, President Goodluck Jonathan said the project, which is to be built at a cost of about N13 billion will provide for 500, 000 international passengers and provide Enugu and the South East region not only a modern, efficient, functional, safe and secure gateway, but most importantly a prestigious edifice that will offer a befitting welcome and goodbye from the region and Nigeria.

Earlier in her address of welcome, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah said the occasion calls for celebration, not just for the people of the South East geo-political zone of the country, but indeed for all Nigerians, enthusing that the Transformation Agenda of Mr President “is being actualized tangibly at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

Princess Oduah said the new international terminal with a total floor area of 25,000 square meters will have capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum and will be completed in 24 months. “On completion of the terminal, this airport will finally answer it’s name in the real sense of the word “Akanu Ibiam International Airport”.

The Minister further disclosed that already, two international airlines have indicated interest to operate flights into Enugu, adding that discussion along these lines will continue over the next few months “as we prepare the airport’s infrastructure to meet this demand.

The Minister spoke about the remodeling of the 22 federally-owned airports, the five new international terminals coming on stream in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano as not the only transformation taking place in the aviation sector, but also the aerotropolis projects and the Perishable cargo terminals.

“Nigeria’s aviation industry must take it’s rightful place in our national life. The industry must become pivotal to the socio-economic development of our country as it is supposed to be and as we proclaim in our Vision, we will continue to do what it takes to deliver just such an industry to Nigerians”, the Minister declared.

President Jonathan Commissions Remodeled Enugu Airport

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Aviation Nigeria


President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan recently commissioned the newly remodeled Akanu Ibiam International airport, Enugu.

The President also laid the Foundation Stone for the new International Terminal building at the airport, said his administration will not rest on it’s oars until all it’s campaign promises have been delivered to the people.

Speaking during the commissioning, President Jonathan said the ceremony is not only a fulfillment of his campaign promise in 2010 to give the South East geo-political zone a befitting international airport, but also a tip of the iceberg of what is to come to the zone in his transformation agenda.

He noted that the commissioning of the remodeled terminal is part of: "A national effort at transforming the country’s air transport industry into one that is pivotal to socio-economic development of the country as it ought to be”.

The programme is ambitious, covering all 22 airports under the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN). It involves the remodeling of all 22 airport terminals within three years, by modernizing, expanding, and upgrading the facilities in line with international standards.

The President noted that already, the General Aviation Terminals (GAT) in Lagos and Abuja, the Benin and Kano remodeled terminals were all commissioned in quick succession earlier in the year, adding that in the following weeks, the Dr. Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport terminal as well as the the remodeled Yola airport would be commissioned.

“I also know that work in Jos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Sokoto, Ilorin, Maiduguri and the Murtala Mohammed International Terminals are at various stages of completion and that these projects will completely change the airport experience of Nigerians and our visitors alike, when completed. the President 

The President lamented that ever since the various airports in the country were built about three decades ago, they had faced little or no developments until the recent efforts, following his approval of the Aviation Master Plan and Road Map.

On the new International terminal for which he performed the Foundation Laying ceremony, President Goodluck Jonathan said the project, which is to be built at a cost of about N13 billion will provide for 500, 000 international passengers and provide Enugu and the South East region not only a modern, efficient, functional, safe and secure gateway, but most importantly a prestigious edifice that will offer a befitting welcome and goodbye from the region and Nigeria.

Earlier in her address of welcome, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah said the occasion calls for celebration, not just for the people of the South East geo-political zone of the country, but indeed for all Nigerians, enthusing that the Transformation Agenda of Mr President “is being actualized tangibly at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

Princess Oduah said the new international terminal with a total floor area of 25,000 square meters will have capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum and will be completed in 24 months. “On completion of the terminal, this airport will finally answer it’s name in the real sense of the word “Akanu Ibiam International Airport”.

The Minister further disclosed that already, two international airlines have indicated interest to operate flights into Enugu, adding that discussion along these lines will continue over the next few months “as we prepare the airport’s infrastructure to meet this demand.

The Minister spoke about the remodeling of the 22 federally-owned airports, the five new international terminals coming on stream in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano as not the only transformation taking place in the aviation sector, but also the aerotropolis projects and the Perishable cargo terminals.

“Nigeria’s aviation industry must take it’s rightful place in our national life. The industry must become pivotal to the socio-economic development of our country as it is supposed to be and as we proclaim in our Vision, we will continue to do what it takes to deliver just such an industry to Nigerians”, the Minister declared.
Aviation Nigeria


The Vnukovo airport in Moscow was closed temporarily after a plane caught fire upon landing.

The aircraft operated by UT air was carrying 140 people, but no injuries were reported. A TV crew travelling aboard the flight managed to capture the events as passengers were evacuated.

The left landing gear leg caught fire as the flight arrived from the southern Russian city of Stavropol.

Preliminary reports suggest the brake wheels were destroyed. The airport closed just before 8 am local time and reopened under two hours later once the Boeing 737 had been removed from the runway.

Source: Euronews



Russian Plane catches fire on tarmac

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Aviation Nigeria


The Vnukovo airport in Moscow was closed temporarily after a plane caught fire upon landing.

The aircraft operated by UT air was carrying 140 people, but no injuries were reported. A TV crew travelling aboard the flight managed to capture the events as passengers were evacuated.

The left landing gear leg caught fire as the flight arrived from the southern Russian city of Stavropol.

Preliminary reports suggest the brake wheels were destroyed. The airport closed just before 8 am local time and reopened under two hours later once the Boeing 737 had been removed from the runway.

Source: Euronews



Thursday, 16 May 2013


Aviation Nigeria

Boeing says it has resumed deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner, after two incidents involving the lithium ion batteries led to a worldwide grounding of the aircraft.

Boeing has delivered a modified jet to Japan’s All Nippon Airways, which will restart Dreamliner flights on 1 June.

Regulators halted all Dreamliners after ANA and Japan Airlines had incidents where the battery overheated.

Boeing has since modified the jets with new batteries.

The US Federal Aviation Administration gave Boeing’s redesigned battery system approval on 19 April. Boeing then modified existing fleets for airlines as well as new batteries which run at a cooler temperature. Boeing has also enclosed them in stainless steel boxes.

The system now has a ventilation pipe that leads directly outside the plane, which Boeing says will lower the chances of any future fire or smoke affecting the aircraft.

Ethiopian Airlines was the first to restart commercial flights on 27 April. Other airlines will begin services later in May or in June.

The delivery to ANA is the first handover of a modified 787 from Boeing factories. Boeing had delivered 50 Dreamliners to airlines at the time of the grounding. The company said on Tuesday that it expected to achieve its target of delivering more than 60 Dreamliners this year. The US National Transportation Safety Board is still looking into what caused the 787 battery to overheat and catch fire on a Japan Airlines plane in Boston in January.

About one week later, another battery overheated on an ANA flight in Japan, causing an emergency landing and evacuation of the plane.


Source: BBC

Dreamliner: Boeing resumes deliveries of 787

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Aviation Nigeria

Boeing says it has resumed deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner, after two incidents involving the lithium ion batteries led to a worldwide grounding of the aircraft.

Boeing has delivered a modified jet to Japan’s All Nippon Airways, which will restart Dreamliner flights on 1 June.

Regulators halted all Dreamliners after ANA and Japan Airlines had incidents where the battery overheated.

Boeing has since modified the jets with new batteries.

The US Federal Aviation Administration gave Boeing’s redesigned battery system approval on 19 April. Boeing then modified existing fleets for airlines as well as new batteries which run at a cooler temperature. Boeing has also enclosed them in stainless steel boxes.

The system now has a ventilation pipe that leads directly outside the plane, which Boeing says will lower the chances of any future fire or smoke affecting the aircraft.

Ethiopian Airlines was the first to restart commercial flights on 27 April. Other airlines will begin services later in May or in June.

The delivery to ANA is the first handover of a modified 787 from Boeing factories. Boeing had delivered 50 Dreamliners to airlines at the time of the grounding. The company said on Tuesday that it expected to achieve its target of delivering more than 60 Dreamliners this year. The US National Transportation Safety Board is still looking into what caused the 787 battery to overheat and catch fire on a Japan Airlines plane in Boston in January.

About one week later, another battery overheated on an ANA flight in Japan, causing an emergency landing and evacuation of the plane.


Source: BBC

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria


Managing Director of Evergreen Apple Nigeria, Mr. Segun Demuren has said that opportunities within the aviation sector is significant to the development of Nigeria and other countries in the African region.

Demuren, who spoke at the first edition of the Nigerian Business Aviation Conference maintained that well explored the aviation sector is capable of driving the economies in the region.

He putlined the need for a better understanding of the value of business aviation as well as its significance in developing international business.

The conference, held in Lagos, was intended to provide a platform for raising awareness of the growing business aviation industry in Nigeria.

“Undoubtedly, Nigeria is a significant player in the business aviation sector for Africa and will play an important part in the development of the sector in the region.” Demuren said

Aslo speaking at the conference, Group Managing Director, Guaranteed Trust Bank, Mr. Segun Agbaje, outlined some requirements when considering aircraft financing.

Agbaje describe the Nigerian market as having experienced 'high octane growth' in the last few years, taking over from South Africa to become the largest market for business jet purchase in Africa.

“We are more used to financing rice and fish, so aviation is a good way for us to expand business.” Agbaje said

He also added that key elements in the selection of such high profile customers were the character and integrity of the customer which he pointed out were as important as collateral and assets.

Others in attendance which include officials of business jet manufacturers, including Gulfstream, Embraer, Dassault, Bombardier and Cessna, remained optimistic about the future growth of sales in the region.

Major considerations were aircraft sales, maintenance as well as service centers  Colin Steven who represented Embraer underlined the need for support, to train and identify local engineering specialists to support the expanding sector.

The panel also suggested that there was a strong market for smaller aircraft in the region with over 50 small airfields available that could be used by the turbo prop and light jet community.

Steven pointed out that: "The need for aircraft management expertise was highlighted in such a young market."



Business Aviation significant to regional development

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Aviation Nigeria


Managing Director of Evergreen Apple Nigeria, Mr. Segun Demuren has said that opportunities within the aviation sector is significant to the development of Nigeria and other countries in the African region.

Demuren, who spoke at the first edition of the Nigerian Business Aviation Conference maintained that well explored the aviation sector is capable of driving the economies in the region.

He putlined the need for a better understanding of the value of business aviation as well as its significance in developing international business.

The conference, held in Lagos, was intended to provide a platform for raising awareness of the growing business aviation industry in Nigeria.

“Undoubtedly, Nigeria is a significant player in the business aviation sector for Africa and will play an important part in the development of the sector in the region.” Demuren said

Aslo speaking at the conference, Group Managing Director, Guaranteed Trust Bank, Mr. Segun Agbaje, outlined some requirements when considering aircraft financing.

Agbaje describe the Nigerian market as having experienced 'high octane growth' in the last few years, taking over from South Africa to become the largest market for business jet purchase in Africa.

“We are more used to financing rice and fish, so aviation is a good way for us to expand business.” Agbaje said

He also added that key elements in the selection of such high profile customers were the character and integrity of the customer which he pointed out were as important as collateral and assets.

Others in attendance which include officials of business jet manufacturers, including Gulfstream, Embraer, Dassault, Bombardier and Cessna, remained optimistic about the future growth of sales in the region.

Major considerations were aircraft sales, maintenance as well as service centers  Colin Steven who represented Embraer underlined the need for support, to train and identify local engineering specialists to support the expanding sector.

The panel also suggested that there was a strong market for smaller aircraft in the region with over 50 small airfields available that could be used by the turbo prop and light jet community.

Steven pointed out that: "The need for aircraft management expertise was highlighted in such a young market."



Aviation Nigeria


Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, has maintained that the case of the gounded aircraft was not just a case of violation of aviation laws, but also falsification of documents.

According to her, “It is not just a clear violation of aviation laws, it is about falsification of documents.”
Oduah made this call when she appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Aviation and Justice along with other parties in an ongoing controversial dispute over the NCAA's grounding of an airplane belonging to the Rivers State Government.

While speaking, Stella Oduah pointed out that the the Rivers State Government was operating the said aircraft illegally within the nation’s airspace.

According to her, the Ministry of Aviation or any of its parastatals does not have any record of the aircraft as one documented in the name of Rivers State Government, but that the plane was known to the ministry as a foreign aircraft that comes and goes out of the country upon clearance by the appropriate authority.

Members of the committee however expressed their reservations with the inconsistency in facts provided by parties involved in the hearing. They also expressed concern over roles played by agencies like the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) .

They demanded that within two days, the committee be furnished with relevant documents belonging to all private jets in the country.

Some of the documents demanded for are status of registration, number of private jets in the country, letter of purchase, ownership and their insurance certificates.

Airplane violated laws and falsified documents – Aviation Minister

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Aviation Nigeria


Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, has maintained that the case of the gounded aircraft was not just a case of violation of aviation laws, but also falsification of documents.

According to her, “It is not just a clear violation of aviation laws, it is about falsification of documents.”
Oduah made this call when she appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Aviation and Justice along with other parties in an ongoing controversial dispute over the NCAA's grounding of an airplane belonging to the Rivers State Government.

While speaking, Stella Oduah pointed out that the the Rivers State Government was operating the said aircraft illegally within the nation’s airspace.

According to her, the Ministry of Aviation or any of its parastatals does not have any record of the aircraft as one documented in the name of Rivers State Government, but that the plane was known to the ministry as a foreign aircraft that comes and goes out of the country upon clearance by the appropriate authority.

Members of the committee however expressed their reservations with the inconsistency in facts provided by parties involved in the hearing. They also expressed concern over roles played by agencies like the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) .

They demanded that within two days, the committee be furnished with relevant documents belonging to all private jets in the country.

Some of the documents demanded for are status of registration, number of private jets in the country, letter of purchase, ownership and their insurance certificates.

Tuesday, 14 May 2013


Aviation Nigeria

by Yakubu Dati

In recent weeks there has been a string of deliberate misinformation, outright falsehoods and a fallacy of generalizations by elements who have manipulated the airspace and are afraid of the reforms. There has been a deliberate and mischievous attempt by these individuals who have been largely -driven by politics and pecuniary interest to pull wool over the face of Nigerians over the issue of private jet use. This same group have also sought to reduce the painstaking work to set global aviation best practices in Nigeria under the banner of the national civil aviation policy to mere politically linked charades of some individuals in the society. This however has amounted to a total amnesia of the global importance of aviation standards and the need to constantly guard lives and investments.

It is the latter that is the summary of why NCAP 2013 was formulated. Let us engage the issues further.  One of the democratic principles of the free world is the principle of Open Government a style of governance that is increasingly practiced in advanced climes to enhance democratic values. It is this premise that the Minister of Aviation employed to answer several questions from Nigerians and Nigerians in Diaspora via the micro blogging site called twitter. During the interview session with the foremost online news site citizensplatform.net which lasted more than an hour she espoused aviation policies of the government and also shed light on the massive reform going on in the aviation sector. 

One of the most frequently asked question bordered on the private jet guidelines and requirements, which had been selectively perceived by a certain section of the media; she rightly posited that "The sections of the policy which people are mixing up are related to insurance for passengers on private jets."

"There is nowhere in the new policy where friends are barred from being on board their friend's private jet." Oduah said.

She further stressed the need for sufficient focus on air safety and passenger insurance as well as a coordination of both: "Any insurance policy that indemnifies private jet owners in the event of an accident or mishap will be adequate."

It must be pointed out that one of the intrinsic beauties of democracy is the freedom of expression, the ability for all to come and freely express their views. So also one of the hall marks of the transformation agenda of President Jonathan as translated into practice by the Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah. It is the foregoing that motivated Oduah to revamp the country's aviation policy in order to guard lives and investments in Nigeria. She said the formulation of the aviation policy had been ongoing for over a year adding that stakeholders were well aware and contributed to the development of the policy.

Those who are against the policies cannot be unmindful of the increasing acts of terrorism that is ongoing in Nigeria; they have turned a blind eye to the fact that the aircrafts are an integral means of transportation in the continuous proliferation of small arms and ammunition in Nigeria. So also there have been cases of the illicit ferrying of wanted persons of interests, drugs and foreign currency for several years.  The aviation policy is set to checkmate all these, but the traducers will not allow this truth to be told.

Nigeria is also a signatory to the Chicago convention where some of the statutes were agreed upon:

a) For private aircraft owned or leased by individuals, only the family members of the owner / lessee of the aircraft will be permitted on board as passengers.

b) For private aircraft owned or leased by companies or corporate entities only the employees and members of the Board of Directors of the Company will be permitted on board as passengers.

c) For aircraft belonging to non-scheduled or scheduled operators, only the employees and members of the Board of Directors of the company or the corporation may be permitted on board as passengers.

d) All operators will declare the identities of all passengers on non revenue Charter flights in the appropriate General Declaration Forms prior to obtaining ATC clearance.

So also the manual that contains flight duty time limitations which will be strictly monitored on regular basis.

The aforementioned are global aviation practices, Nigerians who clamor for change away from the fiasco of business as usual must embrace these new policies for these will go a long way in sanitizing our aviation sector, turning it around from the all comers and shylock business it has become over the years. No matter the level of misinformation and the casting of negative aspersions on the person of the minister or other officials of the aviation agencies, aviation best practices must be implemented for the common good of all, for the safety of lives and investments of all, including even those against the national civil aviation policy. 

Who is afraid of the new national aviation policy?

Posted on by Aviation Nigeria with No comments

Aviation Nigeria

by Yakubu Dati

In recent weeks there has been a string of deliberate misinformation, outright falsehoods and a fallacy of generalizations by elements who have manipulated the airspace and are afraid of the reforms. There has been a deliberate and mischievous attempt by these individuals who have been largely -driven by politics and pecuniary interest to pull wool over the face of Nigerians over the issue of private jet use. This same group have also sought to reduce the painstaking work to set global aviation best practices in Nigeria under the banner of the national civil aviation policy to mere politically linked charades of some individuals in the society. This however has amounted to a total amnesia of the global importance of aviation standards and the need to constantly guard lives and investments.

It is the latter that is the summary of why NCAP 2013 was formulated. Let us engage the issues further.  One of the democratic principles of the free world is the principle of Open Government a style of governance that is increasingly practiced in advanced climes to enhance democratic values. It is this premise that the Minister of Aviation employed to answer several questions from Nigerians and Nigerians in Diaspora via the micro blogging site called twitter. During the interview session with the foremost online news site citizensplatform.net which lasted more than an hour she espoused aviation policies of the government and also shed light on the massive reform going on in the aviation sector. 

One of the most frequently asked question bordered on the private jet guidelines and requirements, which had been selectively perceived by a certain section of the media; she rightly posited that "The sections of the policy which people are mixing up are related to insurance for passengers on private jets."

"There is nowhere in the new policy where friends are barred from being on board their friend's private jet." Oduah said.

She further stressed the need for sufficient focus on air safety and passenger insurance as well as a coordination of both: "Any insurance policy that indemnifies private jet owners in the event of an accident or mishap will be adequate."

It must be pointed out that one of the intrinsic beauties of democracy is the freedom of expression, the ability for all to come and freely express their views. So also one of the hall marks of the transformation agenda of President Jonathan as translated into practice by the Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah. It is the foregoing that motivated Oduah to revamp the country's aviation policy in order to guard lives and investments in Nigeria. She said the formulation of the aviation policy had been ongoing for over a year adding that stakeholders were well aware and contributed to the development of the policy.

Those who are against the policies cannot be unmindful of the increasing acts of terrorism that is ongoing in Nigeria; they have turned a blind eye to the fact that the aircrafts are an integral means of transportation in the continuous proliferation of small arms and ammunition in Nigeria. So also there have been cases of the illicit ferrying of wanted persons of interests, drugs and foreign currency for several years.  The aviation policy is set to checkmate all these, but the traducers will not allow this truth to be told.

Nigeria is also a signatory to the Chicago convention where some of the statutes were agreed upon:

a) For private aircraft owned or leased by individuals, only the family members of the owner / lessee of the aircraft will be permitted on board as passengers.

b) For private aircraft owned or leased by companies or corporate entities only the employees and members of the Board of Directors of the Company will be permitted on board as passengers.

c) For aircraft belonging to non-scheduled or scheduled operators, only the employees and members of the Board of Directors of the company or the corporation may be permitted on board as passengers.

d) All operators will declare the identities of all passengers on non revenue Charter flights in the appropriate General Declaration Forms prior to obtaining ATC clearance.

So also the manual that contains flight duty time limitations which will be strictly monitored on regular basis.

The aforementioned are global aviation practices, Nigerians who clamor for change away from the fiasco of business as usual must embrace these new policies for these will go a long way in sanitizing our aviation sector, turning it around from the all comers and shylock business it has become over the years. No matter the level of misinformation and the casting of negative aspersions on the person of the minister or other officials of the aviation agencies, aviation best practices must be implemented for the common good of all, for the safety of lives and investments of all, including even those against the national civil aviation policy. 

Friday, 10 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria


Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah has said that the nations airports will be structured to international standards.

"We shall not relent in our efforts to totally transform all airports in the country up to international standards" 

This was during an online media chat on 9 May 2013, held to discuss key issues about the newly released Nigerian Civil Aviation Policy 2013.

The discussion more referred to in online media language as a 'tweet-meet' featured key discussion on several topics of the policy including Private registration, Passenger insurance and the Aerotropolis project.

Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah said the formulation of the aviation policy had been ongoing for over a year adding that stakeholders were well aware and contributed to the development of the policy.

Princess Stella Oduah pointed out that steps were immediately taken to draft a new aviation policy, after a review of international practices indicated the the old policy did not completely address global trends.

While speaking about the controversial clause regarding friends and associates being barred from private jets, Oduah lamented that wrong interpretations were being made:
"The sections of the policy which people are mixing up is related to insurance for passengers on private jets."

"There is nowhere in the new policy where friends are barred from being on board their friend's private jet." Oduah said.

She stressed the need for sufficient focus on air safety and passenger insurance as well as a coordination of both: "Any insurance policy that indemnifies private jet owners in the event of an accident or mishap will be adequate." she said.

The Minister also pointed out that the new policy will also aid the tackling irregular practices in the sector.

They had been on-going media discussions about the position of the NCAP 2013 on private jet owners. Since its release during the week, several interest groups have sought to properly understand and adapt to its legal framework.

NCAP 2013 in line with ICAO regulations - Aviation Minister

Posted on by Aviation Nigeria with No comments
Aviation Nigeria


Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah has said that the nations airports will be structured to international standards.

"We shall not relent in our efforts to totally transform all airports in the country up to international standards" 

This was during an online media chat on 9 May 2013, held to discuss key issues about the newly released Nigerian Civil Aviation Policy 2013.

The discussion more referred to in online media language as a 'tweet-meet' featured key discussion on several topics of the policy including Private registration, Passenger insurance and the Aerotropolis project.

Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah said the formulation of the aviation policy had been ongoing for over a year adding that stakeholders were well aware and contributed to the development of the policy.

Princess Stella Oduah pointed out that steps were immediately taken to draft a new aviation policy, after a review of international practices indicated the the old policy did not completely address global trends.

While speaking about the controversial clause regarding friends and associates being barred from private jets, Oduah lamented that wrong interpretations were being made:
"The sections of the policy which people are mixing up is related to insurance for passengers on private jets."

"There is nowhere in the new policy where friends are barred from being on board their friend's private jet." Oduah said.

She stressed the need for sufficient focus on air safety and passenger insurance as well as a coordination of both: "Any insurance policy that indemnifies private jet owners in the event of an accident or mishap will be adequate." she said.

The Minister also pointed out that the new policy will also aid the tackling irregular practices in the sector.

They had been on-going media discussions about the position of the NCAP 2013 on private jet owners. Since its release during the week, several interest groups have sought to properly understand and adapt to its legal framework.

Thursday, 9 May 2013

Aviation Nigeria


The Nigerian Air Force has debunked claims that a fighter jet crashed today at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Port Harcourt.

Earlier reports stated that a military helicopter crashed in the process of an emergency landing at the Air Force Base in Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

However a press statement by Deputy Director of Air Force Public Relations, Group Captain Dele Alonge stated:

“The Nigerian Air Force MI-24B helicopter on a training exercise did not crash but made an emergency landing at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Port-Harcourt at about 10:00am”.

Captain Alonge added that upon receiving the news, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh immediately constituted a team of experts to unravel the circumstances leading to the incident.

He promised to make further details of the crash available as soon as preliminary investigations where concluded, adding that no casualties had been recorded.

The chopper, a gunship apparently carried ammunition as the crash sent off sparks and explosions. Men of the fire service responded promptly and were already on the scene at the time of filing the report, battling to subdue the fire.

This is the second crash involving a Nigerian military helicopter in 5 months. It will be recalled that Nigeria’s former Security Adviser, Gen Patrick Owoye Azazi and Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State died when a military chopper conveying them from a function crashed last December.

Update: Military helicopter emergency landing in Port Harcourt

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Aviation Nigeria


The Nigerian Air Force has debunked claims that a fighter jet crashed today at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Port Harcourt.

Earlier reports stated that a military helicopter crashed in the process of an emergency landing at the Air Force Base in Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

However a press statement by Deputy Director of Air Force Public Relations, Group Captain Dele Alonge stated:

“The Nigerian Air Force MI-24B helicopter on a training exercise did not crash but made an emergency landing at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Port-Harcourt at about 10:00am”.

Captain Alonge added that upon receiving the news, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh immediately constituted a team of experts to unravel the circumstances leading to the incident.

He promised to make further details of the crash available as soon as preliminary investigations where concluded, adding that no casualties had been recorded.

The chopper, a gunship apparently carried ammunition as the crash sent off sparks and explosions. Men of the fire service responded promptly and were already on the scene at the time of filing the report, battling to subdue the fire.

This is the second crash involving a Nigerian military helicopter in 5 months. It will be recalled that Nigeria’s former Security Adviser, Gen Patrick Owoye Azazi and Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State died when a military chopper conveying them from a function crashed last December.
Aviation Nigeria


Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), has opened an ultra-modern Conference Room at the airport terminal.

The Conference Room, with a capacity for 130 people, is located on the third floor of the terminal building.

The fully air-conditioned Conference Room is equipped with facilities, such as comfortable conference chairs, in-built Public Address System (PAS), a standard projector, mobile screen and Tea/Coffee Room.

A statement by the company’s spokesman, Steve Omolale-Ajulo, said the decision to open the Conference Room was borne out of the desire of BASL to make MMA2 a one-stop facility, where individuals, corporate organisations and government officials at various levels can conveniently transact business in Lagos in one day and fly back to their various destinations same day. 

“Our management believes that having the Conference Room with all the required facilities is sine qua non for a 21st Century airport terminal that we are determined to offer the flying public and corporate bodies, desirous of holding their events in a serene environment like ours,” the statement added.

BASL has also installed a Multi-Storey Car Park (MSC) which has capacity for 800 vehicles as part of vehicle control for users of the Conference Room.

Bi-Courtney unveils New Conference Room at MMA2

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Aviation Nigeria


Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), has opened an ultra-modern Conference Room at the airport terminal.

The Conference Room, with a capacity for 130 people, is located on the third floor of the terminal building.

The fully air-conditioned Conference Room is equipped with facilities, such as comfortable conference chairs, in-built Public Address System (PAS), a standard projector, mobile screen and Tea/Coffee Room.

A statement by the company’s spokesman, Steve Omolale-Ajulo, said the decision to open the Conference Room was borne out of the desire of BASL to make MMA2 a one-stop facility, where individuals, corporate organisations and government officials at various levels can conveniently transact business in Lagos in one day and fly back to their various destinations same day. 

“Our management believes that having the Conference Room with all the required facilities is sine qua non for a 21st Century airport terminal that we are determined to offer the flying public and corporate bodies, desirous of holding their events in a serene environment like ours,” the statement added.

BASL has also installed a Multi-Storey Car Park (MSC) which has capacity for 800 vehicles as part of vehicle control for users of the Conference Room.
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