The Federal Government has announced a decisive plan to pursue the assets of Dana Air in order to provide refunds for affected passengers and travel agents. This move comes in the wake of the airline's suspension due to serious safety concerns.
Government Prioritizes Passenger Safety and Refunds
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, revealed this development during a stakeholders' meeting held in Abuja. He directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to devise concrete methods to ensure passengers receive their money back.
Explaining the rationale behind the suspension of Dana Air's operations, Keyamo stated that the authorities were faced with a critical choice between ensuring public safety and risking a potential disaster. He emphasized that commercial considerations were not the priority in this decision.
"So we didn't take the commercial thing as a priority. The priority was safety and we all looked at the damning reports we met on the table," the Minister declared. "It was a decision of the NCAA to suspend them, but I pushed them to say, look, these are the reports we are seeing on the table about safety record, about lack of standards that put the lives of Nigerians at risk."
Keyamo issued a stern warning, indicating that the same entities would not be allowed to re-enter the aviation sector under any guise until they settle their outstanding debts. He has instructed the NCAA Director-General, Captain Chris Najomo, to thoroughly investigate the matter and find a resolution for the refunds.
Asset Recovery as Primary Refund Strategy
The Minister outlined the government's primary strategy for securing the funds, which involves a thorough review and potential seizure of the airline's remaining assets.
"There are assets that are still available. Let them sell their assets. Let's cannibalise their revenue and pay people," Keyamo asserted. "Let's find a way to go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed. NCAA should do that because they can't get away with it."
This firm stance underscores the government's commitment to protecting consumer rights and holding aviation operators accountable for their financial obligations.
NAMA Expands Airport Operating Hours
In a related development aimed at improving aviation services, the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has granted approval for extended operating hours at four major airports across the country.
The affected airports are:
- Owerri Airport
- Enugu Airport
- Yola Airport
- Ilorin Airport
These airports will now be permitted to operate until 10:00 p.m., a significant extension that responds to longstanding calls from industry stakeholders for increased flight operations beyond the major hubs of Abuja and Lagos.
The Director-General of NAMA, Ahmed Farouk, disclosed that the agency has also provided an ad-hoc operation approval for Air Peace to conduct flights into Anambra and Asaba airports.
"We are always available to grant an extension because of our capacity. For now, we will not be able to operate all the airports in the country till 10 p.m. But following your directive, sir, we started till 10 p.m. with those airports I mentioned," Farouk stated.
Furthermore, Minister Keyamo announced that President Bola Tinubu has approved special funds for the provision of NAMA equipment, moving this crucial expenditure from regular budgetary provisions into a special funding category to ensure better equipment maintenance and upgrade.
Highlighting the progress in aviation infrastructure, the NAMA DG, represented by the Director of Air Traffic Service, John Tayo, confirmed that the agency has provided a fully functional flight calibration unit. This essential equipment is used to calibrate navigational aids and validate instrument approach procedures, significantly enhancing flight safety standards across the nation's airports.
