Posted by By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
The Federal Government has directed the Ministry of Finance to release without delay a total of N19 billion to the Aviation Ministry for the immediate and full implementation of the recommendations of the Paul Dike Presidential Committee on reforms in the sector.
The Federal Government has directed the Ministry of Finance to release without delay a total of N19 billion to the Aviation Ministry for the immediate and full implementation of the recommendations of the Paul Dike Presidential Committee on reforms in the sector.
The committee set up in the wake of the two air crashes in the country late last year, which claimed well over 300 lives, had come up with over 100 recommendations and the total overhaul of the aviation sector to enhance air safety in the country.
The Federal Executive Council, which held its weekly meeting in Abuja on Wednesday under the chairmanship of President Olusegun Obasanjo, dwelt extensively on the status of the aviation sector after being briefed by Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, and Air Marshal Dike, chairman of the presidential committee.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Frank Nweke, who briefed the State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, said the N19 billion was the balance of the amount needed to fully revitalise the aviation sector.
With yesterday's development, he gave assurance that the country was on its way to having a safe and secure aviation sector, adding that the era of unnecessary loss of lives in the sector would soon be over.
Nweke explained that the Paul Dike Committee recommendations, when fully implemented, would take care of all the infrastructural, instrumentation as well as human capacity deficiencies in the sector and enhance air safety in the country.
He said the amount would go into refitting the control towers in the 22 airports in the country to bring them to international standard, providing instrument landing equipment and addressing the problem of inadequate experts and training of personnel in the sector.
According to him, the aviation minister had during his briefing informed the council that 23 officials of the ministry are currently in Vienna undergoing training on the handling of most of the equipment being imported to enhance safety in the sector.
The council, Nweke stated, also resolved that the aviation minister would henceforth update it on the implementation of the Dike recommendations through a monthly briefing.
Another major outcome of the council meeting was the approval of N950 million for the purchase of a property in Abuja to serve as the headquarters of the Pension Commission.
Nweke said the decision was reached after the director-general of the commission briefed the council on the pension administration in the country and the hiccups being encountered by the agency.
The president, he also added, directed the Minister of Finance, the Director-General of Budget Office and the Head of Service to meet and resolve the issue of payment of arrears of pension to beneficiaries.
The council also deliberated on Nigeria 's pledges and commitments to the United Nations Human Rights Council following the election of Nigeria into the council and agreed on the convocation of human rights conference and the hosting of Pan African Human Rights Council next year as part of commitment to the world body.