NCAA seeks continued engagement with House of Reps on aviation regulations
The Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Captain Chris Najomo, has stressed the need for continued engagement with the National Assembly to ensure Nigeria’s aviation regulations remain responsive and consistent with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
Najomo said the Civil Aviation Act 2022, Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 and other regulatory instruments provide the framework for the NCAA’s safety, security, economic regulation and consumer protection functions.
He said this during the visit of of the House Committee on Delegated Legislation of the National Assembly to the NCAA headquarters in Abuja, with discussions focused on aviation regulation, legislative oversight and consumer protection.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon. Olufemi Richard Bamishile, described the visit as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and understand the NCAA’s rule-making process. He also raised concerns over outstanding statutory remittances by airlines, calling for amendments to allow immediate deduction and remittance of applicable funds to the NCAA.
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Hon. Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, a member of the Committee, sought clarification on recurring flight delays and cancellations and measures to prevent their recurrence.
Responding at the instance of the DGCA, the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, said inadequate aircraft capacity had previously worsened disruptions, as one aircraft serving several routes could leave passengers stranded when unavailable.
He said more aircraft were being introduced through dry-lease arrangements, while a system was being developed to allow affected passengers to be rebooked on other airlines.
In response to the Chairman’s call for legislative amendments, the Director, Legal Services, Mrs. Mary Tufano-Eche, disclosed that the review of the Civil Aviation Act was at its final stages with the Ministry of Justice and would be further updated before presentation to the National Assembly.
