Senate has passed amendments to the 23-year-old FAAN Act.
Glamtush reports that the Senate, on Tuesday, passed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Act (Amendment) Bill, which was promulgated in 1999.
The passage of the bill followed the consideration and adoption of the report by the Senate Committee on Aviation.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi, in his presentation, said the bill sought to repeal the Act and enact the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Act 2021.
Adeyemi also said the bill sought to provide for effective management of airports in Nigeria.
He said, “Under the bill, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria retains its responsibilities of providing effective management, necessary services and facilities for safe, secure, orderly, expeditious and economic operation of airports and air transport in Nigeria.
“The bill also provides that subject to the prior approval of FAAN, no person is permitted to commence construction or reconstruction of an aerodrome in Nigeria.”
Adeyemi recalled that stakeholders at the public hearing held on the bill said the FAAN Act had not had any major amendments since 1999 despite that there were a lot of changes in the aviation sector.
The lawmaker said the amendments to the Act were needed to create the enabling environment for FAAN to function transparently, efficiently and effectively.