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| ICAO President, Olumuyiwa Aliyu |
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has commended the efforts of the Nigerian government in the development of its aviation sector.
President of ICAO, Mr. Olumuyiwa Aliyu, gave the commendation after closed door meeting with Nigeria’s Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
Aliyu also expressed appreciation to Nigeria for hosting the symposium on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in Abuja from July 17 to July 18.
A brochure of the symposium obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday showed that the event had the theme “Remotely Piloted Aviation in Africa: sharing experiences and challenges”.
The brochure also showed that the event would provide a unique opportunity for states, international organisations and stakeholders to share experiences in addressing RPAS operations across Africa and Indian Ocean.
It added that the event would focus on challenges to be overcome and benefits to be obtained, identifying how existing rules needed to evolve to facilitate the entrance of RPAS community into the civil aviation system.
The ICAO boss said: “We are here to express appreciation to the Acting President for the fact that Nigeria is hosting the very important event that we have on remotely piloted aircraft system.
“We are also here to express our appreciation to the government for the investment and the support that is being given to aviation development in Nigeria, which by extension is supporting development of aviation in Africa and globally.
“For Nigeria being a very responsible member of ICAO, I am also here to express the support that I still intend to continue to provide in this aviation development and to urge government to put aviation as the cornerstone of the national development.”
The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, expressed the hope that Nigeria was going to benefit immensely from the symposium.
He added that Nigeria would use the outcome of the symposium to regulate more efficiently the use of unmanned air drones in the country.
The minister, however, assured that government would not over regulate the air drones, saying that “but for sure, we will regulate so that we will remain safe and secure and then make the industry much more efficient.”
Sirika stated that Nigeria would tap from the good uses of drones uplift the quality of life of its citizens.
He said: “We have seen during the symposium on how we can use drones to send blood samples, to rescue someone with heart attack or to deliver pizza or to take aerial photograph and so on.
“These are some of the benefits of unmanned vehicles, and we hope that by regulating we will eliminate the dangers.
“For example, if one unmanned vehicle is capable of carrying loads, you could think of them carrying a kilogram or two of bomb, with GPS and remotely piloted from a bedroom it can go and be dropped somewhere.
“At this symposium we will share ideas and come up with solutions on the good uses of the drones and of course over the bad uses.”
Sirika described the meeting with the acting president as fruitful.
“He has one himself and has been flying drones himself, he is very much conscious and aware and he gave us the support and guidance that we need.
“He even warned that we should not over regulate so that we will not send people away.”
~NAN
President of ICAO, Mr. Olumuyiwa Aliyu, gave the commendation after closed door meeting with Nigeria’s Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
Aliyu also expressed appreciation to Nigeria for hosting the symposium on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in Abuja from July 17 to July 18.
A brochure of the symposium obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday showed that the event had the theme “Remotely Piloted Aviation in Africa: sharing experiences and challenges”.
The brochure also showed that the event would provide a unique opportunity for states, international organisations and stakeholders to share experiences in addressing RPAS operations across Africa and Indian Ocean.
It added that the event would focus on challenges to be overcome and benefits to be obtained, identifying how existing rules needed to evolve to facilitate the entrance of RPAS community into the civil aviation system.
The ICAO boss said: “We are here to express appreciation to the Acting President for the fact that Nigeria is hosting the very important event that we have on remotely piloted aircraft system.
“We are also here to express our appreciation to the government for the investment and the support that is being given to aviation development in Nigeria, which by extension is supporting development of aviation in Africa and globally.
“For Nigeria being a very responsible member of ICAO, I am also here to express the support that I still intend to continue to provide in this aviation development and to urge government to put aviation as the cornerstone of the national development.”
The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, expressed the hope that Nigeria was going to benefit immensely from the symposium.
He added that Nigeria would use the outcome of the symposium to regulate more efficiently the use of unmanned air drones in the country.
The minister, however, assured that government would not over regulate the air drones, saying that “but for sure, we will regulate so that we will remain safe and secure and then make the industry much more efficient.”
Sirika stated that Nigeria would tap from the good uses of drones uplift the quality of life of its citizens.
He said: “We have seen during the symposium on how we can use drones to send blood samples, to rescue someone with heart attack or to deliver pizza or to take aerial photograph and so on.
“These are some of the benefits of unmanned vehicles, and we hope that by regulating we will eliminate the dangers.
“For example, if one unmanned vehicle is capable of carrying loads, you could think of them carrying a kilogram or two of bomb, with GPS and remotely piloted from a bedroom it can go and be dropped somewhere.
“At this symposium we will share ideas and come up with solutions on the good uses of the drones and of course over the bad uses.”
Sirika described the meeting with the acting president as fruitful.
“He has one himself and has been flying drones himself, he is very much conscious and aware and he gave us the support and guidance that we need.
“He even warned that we should not over regulate so that we will not send people away.”
~NAN
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