Airlines get 2 months ultimatum to pay crash victims

By Our Reporter - 01.02.2008

Bellview, Sosoliso and ADC Airlines were on Thursday directed to pay compensation to victims of the 2005 and 2006 airplanes disasters within two months.

The directive was contained in a communique issued at the end of a one-day consultative meeting of stakeholders in the aviation industry organised by the Senate Committee on Aviation.

The three airlines were also directed to resolve all outstanding issues with the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

``The Federal Ministry of Transportation (Air Transport) and NCAA, in conjunction with the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), should come up with a list of qualified insurance companies that airline operators would be advised to deal with.

``This is to forestall future delays in payment of claims if and when the need arises,” the communique said.

It also directed the ministry to devise a new formula for ticket sales charge distribution among the parastatal agencies in the aviation industry to ensure fairness and equity.

``The meeting was dissatisfied with the application of the N19.5 billion Aviation Intervention Fund,” it said, as a result of which it ordered a meeting of officials from the presidency, the ministries of transportation, finance, relevant banks and the Senate committee to resolve all issues surrounding the source and application of the fund.

``The Bureau of Public Enterprises is to complete the privatisation of Skypower Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) within six months,” it added.

The meeting also directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to transfer the management of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) Fund to NCAA by effecting a change of signatories.