The Federal Government’s, Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the signing of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement between Nigeria and Kuwait.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House Correspondents after FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sirika said that the agreement would open up airline services between the two countries in accordance with the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“That memo has to do with the signing of Bilateral Air Service Agreement between the Federal republic of Nigeria and the State of Kuwait.
“ In that memorandum as approved, the text was earlier on initialled and was cleared by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
“It provided that the content of the agreement should have reciprocal rights and privileges for both Nigeria and Kuwait with the airlines involved.
“This will open up opportunities for air transportation between the two countries, in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) convention of Dec. 7, 1944, to which both countries are signatories.’’
The minister debunked media reports alleging that N14 billion had been spent on the planned floating of a National carrier for the country.
He said that that Nigeria Air would be a reality as it would be introduced for the benefit of Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
Sirika said that FEC also approved a contract for the hiring of consultants for revalidation and collection of aviation height clearance for high rise buildings and masts that could obstruct flight operations in Nigeria.
He said that the contract would run at no cost to the budget because the revenues accrued there-in would be used to pay the consultants.
“We got approval for the award of contract for the engagement of consultants for revalidation and collection of aviation height clearance on behalf of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
“ The contract was approved with a scale and at no cost to the budget.
“For more clarity, the aviation height clearance is extremely important to the safety of air operations.
“What concerns us in civil aviation is how efficient you depart from point A to point B.’’
He said there had been air crashes in the past due to the location of communication masts citing the incident in Jos, Plateau.
Sirika said that having masts around the airport, or its vicinity or even a building, so long as it caused unsafe operations, needed to be regulated by the NCAA.
He said that the consultants would go after people with such masts or buildings, to ensure they abided by the regulations.