The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has said that the resumption of domestic flights may not be feasible for June 21 as earlier proposed.
This was revealed by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika during the daily briefing of the PTF.
The coordinator of the PTF, Sani Aliyu had asked operators in the airline industry to start putting health safety measures in place towards a possible lifting of restrictions on domestic flights from June 21.
The Minister of Aviation who was represented by the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Capt. Musa Nuhu however said the proposed date was no longer feasible.
“The civil aviation authority despite pressures coming from all quarters will not approve the start any day until we are sure and we confirm that we are ready to start in a safe, secure, organised and efficient manner. To do otherwise is disastrous for all of us.”
“If we open the industry when we are not ready, and we are guilty of spreading coronavirus, God forbid we have any incident, I believe the government will come hard on us and it is going to be counterproductive and disastrous for the industry.
“We are not too far, we are close but there is a need for timing to ensure that we are ready, positively, absolutely ready to start work,” the minister said.
Capt. Nuhu added that his agency has been in consultation with stakeholders within the aviation industry regarding when and how to lift restrictions on domestic flights, saying all concerns are being addressed.
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He also said input from the International Aviation Agency, the World Health Organisation, and other international aviation agencies are being considered in its decision making process.
“We have to adopt all these, it’s not easy; it’s a very complex process. What I can assure is that, the civil aviation authority will only give a go-ahead when we are ready, nothing further, Nuhu said.
“We are looking towards the end of this month. Hopefully, by the end of next week, we will submit a report through the Ministry of Aviation to the Presidential Task Force for review. We know the industry is anxious but to do otherwise will be a great disservice and neglect of our statutory mandate from the government of Nigeria,” he added