By Abubakar Yunusa
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced the establishment of a ministerial task force on illegal private chartered operations and related matters to address private jet operators unlicensed to operate commercial services.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja yesterday, Keyamo said, “In alignment with our five-point agenda, I am compelled to take decisive action today.”
“When I took office as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, I outlined a five-point agenda to guide my team and me in fulfilling the mandate given by Mr. President.
“These five points encompass safety, infrastructure, support for local operators, human capacity development, and revenue generation.
“We have since set sail to the best of our ability. Accordingly, we have identified problematic issues within the aviation industry that we must tackle head-on.”
The task force is charged with the following terms of reference: to take inventory of all PNC holders and ANC holders across the country, to determine why illegal charter operations by PNC holders exist despite regulatory control, and to review all professional licenses of pilots and crew members in the country to determine their authenticity and validity.
Additionally, the task force will recommend regulatory agencies to curb this trend, appropriate sanctions for default operators, additional measures to monitor the activities of private aircraft in Nigeria, and address any other terms of reference determined by the Minister.
“The members of the task force have been carefully selected from within the aviation industry. They are individuals of high repute and integrity, including representatives from other sectors and the National Security Adviser,” Keyamo disclosed.
“It took some time because I had to consult with industry members extensively. This process has been ongoing for about three months, so it is not a knee-jerk reaction.
“I spoke with individuals, regulators, and many captains privately about their views on this matter, and all agreed that something must be done. Part of this consultation included lengthy discussions with the NSA, and I believe it is time for us to act.”
Speaking further, the minister said, “With my background, I won’t shy away from any issue, no matter how complex and difficult. One such issue is what we are gathered here to address today.
“It has come to our attention through a series of reports that the practice of illegal charter operations is thriving within the industry, thereby undermining the efforts of regulators.
“I have also raised security and safety concerns, as the operations of private aircraft owners have remained largely unchecked and unregulated. This has also led to the use of private aircraft for illegal activities.”
Keyamo explained that the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, wrote to the ministry about the spike in money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities involving private aircraft within the country.
“In his words: ‘It appears privately-owned non-commercial aircraft operators have become increasingly emboldened in their illegal operations, often with the assistance of air operator certificate holders who collect tolls.
We have received alarming reports that some crew members have not attended mandatory simulator training for nearly three years and have obtained fraudulent licenses.
Unfortunately, many of these unchecked cases fall under the PNC holder category, as ANC holders are regularly checked.’
“One of our agenda points is to ensure safety within the sector by encouraging regulators to enforce strict standards. By doing so, we would prevent endangering Nigerian lives.
Many individuals registered under PNC are conducting illegal charter operations with impunity.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the task force, Captain Ado Sanusi, said, “We will do everything within our power to bring these issues to the necessary resolution, and with this committee, I believe we will address all the challenges.”