House did not call for licence revoke any airstrip – Keyamo

Festus Keyamo, minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has said the House of Reps as a body did not call on him to revoke the license of any private airstrip.

This is coming after some reports alleged that the House of Reps revoked the license of some private airstrips.

“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it. Whilst the intention of the member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.

“By the time we explain to them how private airstrips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied. The responsibility of the owners of private airstrips is just to build the runway and terminal building.

“But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations,” Keyamo stated in his X handle.

He noted that it is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in all airports and airstrips, noting that the private airstrip owners pay the federal government handsomely for these services.

Read also: Reps move to revoke Living Faith Church’s airstrip licence

The minister hinted that no object flies into Nigeria without prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan (e.g. where it is taking off from and where it intends to land).

The minister added that he has recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country to first land at the international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go.

Keyamo said it is “completely and totally impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility.
The Federal Government does not permit that.

“You will not be cleared for take-off or landing without prior request and authorisation. I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.”