Reps committee tasks NCAA to enforce Nigerians with disabilities act in aviation sector

The House of Representatives Committee on Disabilities has charged the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to enforce fully the provisions of the Nigerians with Disabilities Act, 2018 in the aviation industry.

Bashiru Dawodu, the Chairman of the House Committee on Disability Matters, gave the charge on Wednesday during the Committee’s oversight visit to the corporate headquarters of the Authority in Abuja.

The committee has jurisdiction to oversight compliance on discrimination against Persons with disability (PWD) Act 2018 which provides for inclusion in employment, accessibility, rehabilitation, special and protection of PWD’s in programmes, projects and annual budget.

The Committee lauded the NCAA’s determination to comply fully with the provisions of the Act as a responsible organisation.

He said the NCAA as the aviation regulator has the mandate to regulate the provisions of the Act amongst sister agencies, the airlines and other operators in the industry.

“You’re responsible for the enforcement PWD regulation in the aviation industry” he charged.

Dawodu lauded the NCAA’s efforts thus far to significantly comply with the provisions of the Act as regards to employment, support to disability causes and accessibility.

Chris Najomo, the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA) Nigeria, represented by
Donald Tonye Spiff, the Director, Operations, Licensing and Training (DOLT) said the Authority under his watch is nondiscriminatory and is disability persons friendly.

He explained the NCAA aside employing persons with disability has audited its buildings, making corrective measures where necessary to aid access for the persons with disabilities.

Also commenting at the event,
Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, reiterated that the Authority is deliberate about inclusiveness on disability matters adding that a risk assessment had been done and the implementation is ongoing.

He said the NCAA, since Capt. Najomo came on board has deliberately taken into account the concerns of persons with disability (PWD) and has variously supported programmes of PWDs based on his people-oriented policies.

At the meeting, different directorates of the Authority took turns to intimate members of the Authority on their compliance levels with the provisions of the Nigerians with Disability Act.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.