The federal government has been called upon to confirm the appointment of acting Director General of NCAA, Captain Najomo as the substantive director general. This call was made by the Foreign Airlines and Representative in Nigeria (AFARN).
Speaking through the President of AFARN, Dr. Kingsley Nwokoma, the body stated this position at a press conference at the AFARN office on Lagos recently.
He pointed out that it will not be too good for the government to shy away from the fact that, a body like NCAA, the regulator of the aviation industry should be politicized given the nation’s ratings and also as a contracting state in all ICAO conventions.
Nwokoma urged the government to avoid anything that would bring clog in the wheel of progress in the industry and therefore confirm without further delay the man presently on the saddle to avoid lacuna of any sort that may not augur well to the industry at this time of our national development.
Also, AFARN President urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to look for ways of reducing the multiplicity of airport taxes in the country’s aviation industry.
Nwokoma pointed out that Nigeria airports are the most expensive in the world in terms of charges, observing that FAAN Managing director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, is doing a good job, but that she needs to do more in this area of encouraging air cargo export, adding that export in Ghana is zero tax.
He pointed out that for Nigeria Agricultural products to be sold in world markets, the farms has to be certified to make traceability easier.
AFARN President stated that agro export is a big business which requires that farms where the products are coming from must be traceable.
According to Nwokoma, the exchange rate has gone up drastically that most companies now prefer shipment through the sea, which is responsible for why air cargo has gone down.
