Many industry operators have reacted to the report by the House of Representatives on the controversial Rivers State owned Bombardier Global Vision Aircraft, BD700-1A11 with registration number N565RS which indicted the Federal Government and the regulatory body, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), saying that the report was biased, describing it as premeditated.
Sheri Kyari, executive member of the Aviation Round Table (ART) said it was surprising that the House of Representatives could make public such report without objectively looking at the case on the table and also carrying out thorough investigation.
“By that action the House is now functioning as the regulator which should not be so. I don’t expect them to come up with a report without hearing from NCAA, Caverton Helicopters and the Ministry of Aviation. The National Assembly should be able to balance its investigation by giving Caverton Helicopters fair hearing,” Kyari said.
He said the Minister of Aviation who had the responsibility of protecting the industry had to step in to stop it, noting that the Minister had the right to take the actions she had taken on the matter.
“I want to believe that the National Assembly should only intervene when the matter is getting out of hand, but the matter is still under control. By that report the House is acting like the executive instead of legislators,” Kyari said.
Also speaking, Uche Ojadi, a pilot, noted that a system should be put in place whereby NCAA should be closely monitoring the activities of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) so that it could step in during situations like this.
”NCAA as regulator has oversight responsibilities. It issues clearance to aircraft to fly and NAMA enforces that regulation so if NAMA does not act appropriately NCAA should step in.”
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