RE: AMEACHI’S AIRCRAFT AND FLIGHT CLEARANCE

RE: AMEACHI’S AIRCRAFT AND FLIGHT CLEARANCE By Olu Ohunayo Gov Ameachi’s aircraft and the unabated controversies with respect to his last flight to Akure and other operations in the general aviation sector is well known to stakeholders over the years, who have deliberately turned blind eyes or are afraid to act due to the caliber of clients or owners of these private jets whether foreign or Nigerian registered. The government should go ahead with the probe and be bold enough to dig deep, press the rewind button and most importantly make their report public. The necessary sanctions and fines should be applied, which is not witch hunting but will act as a deterrent. Gov Ameachi’s aircraft should not be singled out for the investigation rather it should initiate other probes, majority of the general aviation flights operated spontaneously or over the weekend have the same lapses, so if we are going to investigate we should make it open, even those shouting hosanna will be surprised at the rot. If flight clearance process is a vital safety and security component of civil aviation worldwide and requires the involvement of both the civil aviation authorities and the national security agencies before approval is given, while full disclosure of the aircraft, passengers and crew must be provided as required by law, then how did the incarcerated former governor of Delta State leave the country or is it the recently pardoned former governor of Bayelsa state, who returned to the country through the same “Egbesu route” only to hop on another helicopter that took him to Yenegoa. Mr president ,who was the acting governor at that time had to quietly slip to Otuoke for his own safety. The discrepancies noticed with the flight clearance, plan and registration of Gov Ameachi’s aircraft is a norm and not an exception in general aviation in this country, we should used this opportunity to reverse the trend in the interest of safety ,security and improved revenue generation. I will also not forget to reiterate that the civilians, military retirees inclusive should not be allowed on board military aircraft, since they are not subjected to the civil aviation laws and norms, if the military wants to partake in charter services they should form and register a company for that purpose that will compete and subject itself to the civil and compensation processes. The various agencies and the supervising ministry are over heating the aero-political landscape with the concurrent and similar press releases as if they were all drafted on the same laptop or are they trying to convince the boss ''Oga'' at the top that they are working