By Chinelo Obogo
The House of Representatives has said it would have a meeting with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the new safety threshold handling rates for indigenous and international carriers.
Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji said this at a meeting with the representatives of the Aviation Ground Handling Association of Nigeria (AGHAN), Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Airline Operators Committee (AOC), International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and NCAA in Abuja recently, insisting that the meeting with the regulatory agency is necessary because of the importance of the new rates.
He assured that the committee would continue to protect the interest of Nigeria and business entities operating in the country. No new date had been fixed for continuation of hearing on the matter, but Nnaji assured that the committee would reconvene soon.
”The meeting with the Director-General of NCAA is important because we believe his inputs is necessary for us to take a decision. The issue at hand is very important for the growth of the Nigerian civil aviation industry. Whatever we are going to come out with as a committee will be for the good of the industry,” Nnaji said.
The House Committee on Aviation had last week adjourned meeting on the new safety threshold handling rates for ground handling companies in Nigeria. Nnaji had advised that the new aircraft ground handling rate of $3900 be temporarily be put on hold till after the next meeting with the stakeholders.
The AON and AOC had earlier petitioned the committee for its intervention over the new rate but the Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu was said to be out of the country at the time. However, the committee later had a meeting Capt. Nuhu on the controversial NG Eagle, which is being floated by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).