Representatives did not tell the ministry to revoke the licenses of private airstrips

Minister of Aeronautics and Space, Festus Keyamo, has debunked a report claiming that the House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to halt the issuance of airstrip licences.

The report alleged that MPs called for the withdrawal of approved airstrip licenses granted to the Living Faith Church, known as Winners’ Chapel, and private individuals and organizations, in order to protect national security.

However, Keyamo refuted the report in a post shared on his official X account on Friday morning, saying that the claim was not true.

“I think this is not right. The House of Representatives as a body did not call on the minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip. “I think someone put forward a proposal on this issue and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee for review,” Keyamo explained .

“While the intentions of the honorable member who carried it were deeply patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation industry. “They will be satisfied if we explain to them how private airstrips work and the processes they go through with our agencies before final approval.”

Keyamo explained that the responsibility of private airstrip owners is to build the runway and terminal building.

He said especially after building the control tower, it was completely handed over to the Federal Government through the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), which has full control of the entire airspace in Nigeria.

According to him, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is usually signed with NAMA before the airstrip is approved for operations.

He added that NAMA provides Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers at all airports and airstrips in Nigeria and that private airstrip owners pay handsomely to the Federal Government for these services.

The Minister said no object was flown to Nigeria without prior permission from NAMA and a clear flight plan from where it took off and where it planned to land.

“And I have recently said that all aircraft arriving in the country must first land at our international airports, where they are properly processed and checked, before making their local flights to the airport or airstrip they intend to go to,” Keyamo said.

“Therefore, it is completely and utterly impossible for any private airstrip owner to hop on a plane and enter or exit the country via this facility. The Federal Government does not allow this. No takeoff or landing permission will be given without prior request and permission.

“I thank the member for his patriotism, but I wish he had contacted us and explained himself before rushing through such a motion. I hereby annex for public consumption the NAMA Act which gives exclusive control of Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.