NCAA To Audit Every Local Airlines, FG Declares

All indigenous airlines in the nation will undergo a thorough audit, according to the Federal Government, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Apart from Dana Airlines’ suspension and current audit, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has said that all other carriers in the country will be subject to audits in order to guarantee passenger safety and the health of the civil aviation sector.

Since taking office in August of last year after President Bola Tinubu’s appointment, Keyamo has faced criticism in the past 24 hours for what some civil aviation watchdogs have dubbed “external meddling” in the NCAA’s autonomy.

Keyamo gave the NCAA the order to suspend Dana Airlines on Wednesday, citing recent incidents at the regional carrier as major concerns about the safety and financial sustainability of their operations.

According to the minister, the airline shall stay suspended until a thorough audit is carried out; NCAA Director General Chris Najomo quickly carried out this order.

Dana Air suspended operations for a whole day after one of its aircraft went off the runway at Lagos Airport.

Later on, some parties argued that the minister was incorrect to order the NCAA to suspend an airline and urged the Senior Advocate of Nigeria to uphold the regulator’s independence.

But Keyamo shot back, claiming that the legislation gives him the authority to tell the NCAA to act morally “in grounds of national security.”

“A number of accidents happened two years ago and the airline is not healthy,” the minister said.

Furious, Keyamo remarked, “Let those aviation experts take their wives and children to board that airline that was certified dangerous.”

“If I’m not meant to intervene, would Nigerians have rather that I stay silent and join the cartel? For what reason am I a minister? he asked.

“It can be as short as possible,” he remarked when asked how long Dana Airlines’ audit would take. As I advised, act morally and get back to work. For Nigerian safety, we have to take the proper actions. We shall audit every one of them, not only Dana Airlines. Let Nigerians travel with our airlines in safety.