Because it involves Nigerians’ safety, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has stated that he has the authority to order the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to suspend Dana Airline.
Speaking on Thursday’s Politics Today show on Channels Television, Keyamo stated that as a minister, he is answerable to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people, who are his employers.
Remember that just 24 hours after a runway mishap involving one of the airline’s flights from Abuja to Lagos, the NCAA suspended Dana Air’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC), forcing the company to cease all of its scheduled operations.
Reactions to the minister’s order for the NCAA to suspend the airline’s operations after the development were not quite unanimous.
But Keyamo asserted in the interview that he had the authority to order the NCAA to halt the operations of any airline in the nation that was in default.
The former minister went on to say that he can order the NCAA to act appropriately in terms of national security, which includes Nigerians’ health and safety.
“Section 26 says that I can direct them,” he stated. According to the clause, I have the authority to order the NCAA to act appropriately in situations of national security as a matter of policy. Nigerians’ health and safety are adequately protected by the scope of national security. According to Section 28, they have regulatory authority. This isn’t how regulations work. It all comes down to working hard.
“Allow me to explain the purpose of those sections. It asserts that the NCAA ought not to take any action to promote safety. And political meddling says, “Please waive this for this person or give them a pass.” Political meddling that puts Nigerians’ lives in jeopardy and takes away the NCAA’s authority to impose safety measures will not occur.
“But in this instance, it’s the opposite; the minister is pleading with you to take precautions,”
