By Joy Yesufu
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has stated that the House of Representatives did not instruct him to revoke the airstrip license for Living Faith Church, nor for any other private individual or organization.
Keyamo made this clarification in a statement posted on his official X account on Friday.
This response comes amid reports indicating that the House of Representatives requested the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to pause the issuance of airstrip licenses to private entities and to revoke existing licenses, including that of Living Faith Church, citing national security concerns.
Keyamo refuted these claims, explaining that a motion was indeed introduced in the House but was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee for further examination. He characterized the motion’s intent as patriotic but based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the aviation sector.
“To address any concerns, we will provide clarity on how private airstrips operate and the processes overseen by our agencies before final approvals are granted,” Keyamo stated.
He explained that the responsibility of private airstrip owners is limited to constructing the runway and terminal building. However, once a control tower is built, it is transferred to the Federal Government through the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), which maintains complete control over the nation’s airspace. An MOU is typically signed with NAMA prior to approving airstrip operations.
Keyamo emphasized that NAMA is responsible for providing Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers across all airports and airstrips in Nigeria, and that private airstrip owners compensate the Federal Government for these services. “No aircraft can enter Nigeria without prior clearance from NAMA and the submission of a clear flight plan indicating its departure and destination,” he noted.
