NCAA: December target for national carrier feasible

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says the December 24 target set for the take-off of the national carrier is feasible.

Mukhtar Usman, director general of the authority, made this known in a statement released on Tuesday.

He said it would only take 90 days to get an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).

Hadi Sirika, minister of state for aviation, had said the national carrier would commence operations in December and set up a committee to work towards actualising the target.

“The presence of the agencies inside the task force is to ensure that the right things are done, they are not midwifing in the real sense of the national carrier but they are guiding the process to ensure that it is done in line with the international standards and best practices in the area of safety, security and also comfort of the passengers,” Usman said.

“This time around, the government says we should go and ensure that even before take-off that nothing is short-circuited, process followed so that they can come to stay, start and stay.”

The NCAA DG said there will be no special treatment as it renders the same service to investors.

“The same service we have rendered to every operator that came from the time the operator came at the first phase, coming with the intent that they want to start operating, it is one of the stages in the issuance of the Air Operators Certificate, to the time somebody wants to do formal application.”