yuzedo: oH God! So how will I carryed my freind and well-wisher and babes when I want to go from Banana Island to anywere? My grate frend alaji dannyboy. Dangote will be very hartbroked becors we plan to do Nelly party in d sky. GEJ is your fault. Oh am cryin in my big jip

Truckpusher: Seriously! You should be going back to kindergarten ok...

johndwayy: The policy is just a political move to prevent those giving Jonathan headache ahead of 2015 campaign.Its a good way of restricting opposition movement.What will Nigeria as a nation benefit from this new policy? Veri soon private cars will be restricted to carrying only family members. See hw innovative nigeria is and some people are saying that dis government is not despotic.smh

etunoman76: The revolution sweeping through the nation's aviation industry is likely to cause discomfort to private jet owners as a new policy introduced by the Federal Government has come up with stringent conditions for their operations.

The long awaited National Civil Aviation Policy, 2013, which took the Federal Government over one year to prepare, was finally unveiled on Friday with severe rules for private jet owners in the country.

The policy has barred individuals with private jets from carrying their friends and business associates on board the aircraft, stating that only members of their families are allowed aboard.

It states further that companies with private jets are permitted to carry only their employees or members of the Boards of Directors.

Moreover, the policy has also directed that the identities of all passengers onboard any private jet must be made known through a manifest before air traffic control clearance will be sought.

It states, "Approval or clearance from the Director-General, NCAA, will not be required from Nigerians operating non-revenue flights with appropriate insurance policies in the following cases: "For private aircraft owned or leased by individuals, only the family members of the owner/lessee of the aircraft will be permitted on board as passengers; "For private aircraft owned or leased by companies or corporate entities, only the employees and members of the Board of Directors of the company will be permitted on board as passengers.

"For aircraft belonging to non-scheduled or scheduled operators, only the employees and members of the Board of Directors of the company or the corporation may be permitted on board as passengers; all operators will declare the identities of all passengers on non-revenue charter flights in the appropriate general declaration forms prior to obtaining ATC clearance.

"Nigerian carriers operating revenue passenger charter flights will be required to have a current non-scheduled or scheduled operator permit with operations manual that contains flight duty time limitations, which will be strictly monitored on regular basis."

Similarly, the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, has directed that all foreign-registered private jets will no longer be allowed to stay in the country beyond 15 days as recommended by the NCAP.

She, however, said foreign-registered private jets on special mission in Nigeria would be allowed to stay for only 60 days, following a special approval from the office of the minister.

Part VII of the NCAP 2013, which deals with general aviation (private jets), read in part, "Retention of foreign registered aircraft in Nigeria will not be permitted beyond a period of 15 days from date of entry. However, the Minister of Aviation may, in certain circumstances, grant the extension of this period for up to 60 days."

The development will affect some pastors, business moguls, governors and politicians, whose private jets are currently carrying registration of countries like the United States, United Kingdom and South Africa among others.

Over 70 per cent of private jets in the country are carrying foreign registration, a former Managing Director of Aerocontractors Airlines, Captain Akin George, has said.

Some industry chief executive officers said the new policy might force most of the business moguls and pastors, whose private jets are currently carrying foreign registration, to fly their jets outside the country every 15 days in order to comply with the policy.

The other option for owners of private jets with foreign registration is to de-register them and subsequently register them in Nigeria, some industry experts have said.

"I think what the government is saying is that most of these people should go and de-register their planes and put them on Nigerian registration," an industry CEO, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent.

Some business moguls and pastors, who have their private jets registered in foreign countries are: Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God; Pastor David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church; President, Christian Association of Nigeria; Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Alhaji Aliko Dangote of the Dangote Group; Mr. Jimoh Ibahim of Global Fleet; Chief Mike Adenuga of Globacom; and Chief Harry Akande.

State governments, whose jets carry foreign registration numbers, include Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

The policy has, however, attracted criticisms from industry stakeholders with only a few supporting it.

On the declaration of the identities of all passengers on board a private jet flight, aviation experts said there was no where in the world where such a rule was obtainable; adding that the filing of manifest for private aircraft was not known in international aviation circle.

They said no single country required filing of manifest for local travel in a private aircraft.

An aviation expert and former Military Commandant, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Group Captain John Ojikutu, said the demand for passengers' manifest on private aircraft could only be the responsibility of the State Security Services.

"The need for passengers' manifest on private aircraft, if required, can only be the responsibility of the State Security Services, and in the case of private aircraft on international flight, the Nigerian Immigration Service," he said.

On the policy allowing only family members and employees/members of Board of Directors on board private aircraft owned by individuals and corporate bodies, respectively, industry experts said the rule was not practicable.

An aviation lawyer, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said, "This new policy means that pastors and business moguls who own private jets cannot carry business associates or friends on board their aircraft. Also, if the jets belong to their churches or companies, it means they cannot carry on board their family members.

"Contrary to this policy, the acceptable standard all over the world is that private aircraft owners are given opportunity by law and regulation to put the aircraft to use for the purpose for which they are being bought."


http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/private-jet-owners-barred-from-carrying-friends-associates/

solomon111: Very good.
They should make the purchase of private jets 'unpalatable'.
Btw,if owners of private jets starts carrying everybody,then it would adversely affect commercial airlines which could lead to a devastating effect on the economy.

aminho: Then GEj should tell us who he is flying with in his Nig Air force fleet cus only patience and baby elephant will be allowed in meaning no more rides 4 labaran maku and reauben abbati

Truckpusher: Omg! Are you this dumb?

Dreamflyin: [color=#990000][/color]
Nairalanders, pls be4 we all rush in2 conclusions, dis is d reason y govt is passin dis law-

A private jet is solely for the private use of the owner/company. It does nt engage in commercial activites. FG is puttin up this law cos 95% of private jet owners lease out their jets to aviation companies to operate commercially for them. Dats fraudulent n tax dodging! Will u buy a porsche as a private car den giv it a taxi company to use it 2 do bizness for u, while u dnt pay tax on commercial vehicles?

It's unethical and a cheat!

Naija pple talk say 'na condition make crayfish bend'. Since our private jet owners nw route d law to do illegal biz, d govt is nw breaking d law to come out wit unconventional acts to nail dem. It is no witch hunting abeg.

This current aviation ministry is d most pro active in history of aviation since d demise of Nigerian Airways. Pple ar shouting tribalism because d benefittors of d corrupt system ar nw gettin their ass whooped.

Den d issue of foreign registered planes is a crime to Nigerians. An aircraft dat was bought wit Nigerian money shuld be registered in Nigeria and crewed wit Nigerians. It's unfair to Nigeria to be sendin our millions out of the country monthly to pay ur foreign crews and maintain ur foreign registration. Wat happened to local content development?

There are no jobs den y giv d few dat ar available to foreigners? Y devalue the currency more tru capital flight annually?

We shuld support most of the current aviation ministry acts, though a few are questionable, but most are noble and truly projects protectionalism of Nigeria's interests.

God bless Nigeria!
God bless Nairaland

(atheists sorry ooo)
Bless Nigeria
Bless Nairaland

Don Demu:
One of 'em laptop peeps?

rhymz: A few years ago, there were reports about how Oyedepo was planning to float a company, Diamond airlines and all that crap these crooks do in the name of God, nobody questioned the legality of doing such. If you are not familiar with the racketeering that goes on in the Nigerian aviation please don't come up here to spew sentimental bullcrap.
More than 70% of Nigerian owned aircraft are not registered with the NCAA for reasons that are to some extent dubious and frivolous, most of them are registered in SA and the U.S. As if that is not enough, they give these jets that are supposed to be "private" to airline operators for commercial uses while dodging away from taxes. Little wonder clerical rogues like Oyedepo saw the need to get four of them, he was busy doing business with them and profiteering by circumventing the weak aviation laws of Nigeria, yet these are the rogues that stand on the pulpit to talk about God and honesty yet non of his four jets are registered with NCAA. Now that the ministry has decided to take decisive steps to deal with them, them wan begin run mouth. . .

Omen100: I am kind of like thinking out laud right now, are they trying to tell me or us now that, Bishop Oyedepo can't ferry Pastor. Adeboye or vise-vase, they are all jokers.

Dreamflyin:

lol.. Noooo. D pple at d receivin end of wat goes on in d sector.
I no be Oga Jona boy naaaa.