Musa Nuhu, Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, has said that the proposed June 21 date for resumption of domestic flights was no longer feasible.
Recall that the Nigerian Government on June 1 announced that it was putting protocols in place to ensure the commencement of domestic flight operations on June 21.
Speaking at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 daily briefing on Thursday, Nuhu said June 21 was no longer a great time to resume operations.
He said, “June 21 is not a feasible date to resume domestic operations. 
“The civil aviation authority despite pressures coming from all quarters will not approve the start any day until we are sure and we confirm that we are ready to start in a safe, secure, organised and efficient manner. To do otherwise is disastrous for all of us.
“If we open the industry when we are not ready, and we are guilty of spreading Coronavirus, God forbid we have any incident, I believe the government will come hard on us and it is going to be counterproductive and disastrous for the industry. 
“We are not too far, we are close but there is a need for timing to ensure that we are ready, positively, absolutely ready to start work.
“We have to adopt all these, it’s not easy; it’s a very complex process. What I can assure is that, the civil aviation authority will only give a go-ahead when we are ready, nothing further.
“We are looking towards the end of this month. Hopefully, by the end of next week, we will submit a report through the Ministry of Aviation to the Presidential Task Force for review. We know the industry is anxious but to do otherwise will be a great disservice and neglect of our statutory mandate from the government of Nigeria.”
