Festus Keyamo, Chris Najomo Aghast Over Operators’ Penchant for Reneging On Rules of Engagement

Capt Chris Ona Najomo, Acting Director General Civil Aviation, Ag DGCA, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, addressing operators, stakeholders and the general public via Instagram

THREE OPERATORS SANCTIONED FOR RUNNING FOUL OF THE RULE O ENGAGEMENT AS STIPULATED IN THEIR AIR OPERATING CERTIFICATE

The two topmost ranking personnel of the federal government of Nigeria, FGN, on every material, and particular issue bordering on air transport in Nigeria seem overwhelmed by the rabid propensity for operators to willfully undermine the rule of engagement as enunciated in their permits.

In a Channels television interview, the Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Mr Festus Keyamo, vehemently condemned the act by some of those with none commercial permits, who stealthily turned their private jet to commercial use, for financial reward.

Keyamo lamented that these kinds of unscrupulous jet owners fleece the government of revenue as they collect fares and make no declaration of their earnings to the government for purposes of appropriate taxes.

Sequel to the minister’s very strong condemnation of the inimical act by the purported money bags, the Director General Civil Aviation, DGCA, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, addressed the nation and the aviation community worldwide through the NCAA’s official Instagram, and announced that three operators caught in the act have been adequately sanctioned.

The DGCA said, as a consequence of heightened surveillance of holders of “Permit for Non-Commercial Flights”, PNCF “no fewer than three private operators have been found involved in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023”.

He announced the authority’s reaction to such discovery thus, “In line with our zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators”.

As a result, Capt Najomo “directed that a re-evaluation of all holders of PNCF be carried out on or before the 19th of April 2024, to ascertain compliance with regulatory requirements.

BELOW IS THE FULL SPEECH OF THE DGCA TO THE AVIATION COMMUNITY AND THE CONSUMERS:

NCAA ORDERS, RE-EVALUATION OF ALL PNCF PERMITS WITHIN 72 HOURS

Back in 2023, the use of private jets for commercial purposes had gotten the attention of the Honourable Minister of Aviation, and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who issued marching orders for the cessation of such acts.

Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA had issued a stern warning to holders of the Permit for Non Commercial Flights, PNCF, against engaging in the carriage of passenger, and cargo or mail for hire and reward.

The Authority had also deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria. As a consequence of this heightened surveillance, no fewer than three private operators have been found involved in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

In line with our zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators. To further sanitize the general aviation sector, I have directed that a re-evaluation of all holders of PNCF be carried out on or before the 19th of April 2024 to ascertain compliance with regulatory requirements.

All PNCF holders will be required to submit relevant documents to the authority within the next 72 hours.
This riot act is also directed at existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders, who utilize aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations.

It must be emphasized that only aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC are authorized to be used in the provision of such charter services. Any of those AOC holders who wish to use the aircraft for charter operations must apply to the NCAA to delist the affected aircraft from the PNCF and include it in the AOC operations specification.

NCAA wishes to reiterate to the travelling public not to patronize any airline charter operator who does not hold a valid Air Operators Certificate issued by the NCAA, when they wish to procure charter operations services.

Finally, NCAA encourages the legitimate players in the aviation industry to report the activity of such unscrupulous elements to the authority promptly, for necessary action.
Signed :
Captain Chris Ona Najomo
Acting Director General, Civil Aviation, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.

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