Experts task N/assembly on laws to functions of NCAA

As the National Assembly commences a review of Civil Aviation Act 2006 before it, professionals in the sector have tasked the assembly members to promulgate laws that will strengthen the oversight functions of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Agency (NCAA).

Players in the sector said that while the regulatory agency has performed well to improve safety in the industry in the past years, the current Civil Aviation Act 2006 did not really empower it to enforce the economic regulations of the industry, especially on the airlines and organisations in the sector.

They also canvassed for real autonomy for NCAA, saying that political interference was hindering its progress and performance.

The players equally urged the National Assembly to ensure the retention of the five percent Ticket Sales Charge/ Cargo Sales Charge ( TSC/ CSC), which was the main source of NCAA revenue before some of the agencies were included in the sharing formula, be retained and if possible, improved upon so that the agency could remain strong and virile.

Ifeanyi Ogochukwu, aviation analyst, said that strengthening of economic regulation of NCAA was critical to the growth of the sector in Nigeria.

Ogochukwu, a licensed air traffic safety electronics specialist in an interview said that the regulatory agency should be empowered to effectively carry out oversight functions of the entire industry, most importantly the charter operators.

Ogochukwu, a former management staff of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), warned that attempt to weaken the power of the regulatory agency may spell doom for the industry, as aviation was internationally regulated with standards.