The Interview Editors
The Federal Government has said that the resumption of domestic flights in the country scheduled for June 21 is no longer feasible.
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had on June 1 announced that the second phase of easing of COVID-19 lockdown would allow domestic flights to resume from June 21.
The airports scheduled to commence domestic operations on the said date included, Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Omagwa International Airport, Port Harcourt and Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri.
However, speaking at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt Musa Nuhu, who represented Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, said, “June 21st is not a feasible date to resume domestic operations.
He said to resume domestic flight operations in the country due to pressure would be disastrous.
“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.
Nuhu added that if the aviation industry was opened in a hurry, the industry would be guilty of spreading COVID-19
He said, “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.”
