The federal government has reversed it’s earlier decision to ban cargo flights after BusinessDay’s report.
BusinessDay had on Monday reported that there may be crisis waiting to happen if the federal government does not relax its ban on cargo flights to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, (NAIA).
Sam Adurogboye, NCAA’s spokesperson had on Sunday confirmed to BusinessDay that cargo flights will also be banned from coming into the country.
The ban was enforced at a point when Africa’s most populous country is facing shortages of face masks, surgical masks and ventilators amid increasing number of Nigerians with the deadly coronavirus.
In a letter dated 23rd March, 2020, from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) made available to BusinessDay, the NCAA gave clarification of flight operations that would be allowed into Nigeria due to coronavirus pandemic and cargo flights was included.
In the letter, the NCAA confirmed essential flights to include aircraft in state of emergency, over flights, operations related to humanitarian aid, medical and relief flights, alternate aerodrome identified in the flight plan, technical stop where passengers do not disembark, cargo flights and other safety related operations.
IFEOMA OKEKE
