The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the Ministry of Aviation and its parastatals to audit all Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASAs) between Nigeria and other countries.
The house said in Abuja that the audit was to streamline and domesticate the agreements where necessary in collaboration with the Committee on Treaties and Agreement.
It further mandated the Committees on Treaties and Agreements, and Aviation, to review and appraise all BASA entered on behalf of Nigeria.
The committees would find out how beneficial these bilateral air services agreements were to Nigeria airlines and expected to report back to the house within 60 days.
The resolution emanated from a motion moved by Rep. Yacoob Bush-Alebiosu (APC – Lagos), which was adopted without debate when put to vote by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Emeka Ihedioha.
The motion was entitled: “Call for a critical review of all bilateral air service agreements (BASA) signed on behalf of Nigeria’’.
Bush-Alebiosu said “BASA is a bilateral agreement signed between two nations to allow international commercial air transport services between their territories.
He explained that BASA was founded on the principle of reciprocity.
“It is a deal that enabled a country’s airlines to enjoy equal leverage in terms of flight operations in countries with which their home country has an air agreement.”
The legislator expressed dismay over the “ravaging’’ crisis in the aviation sector which had caused passengers’ apathy toward air traveling in the recent time.
According to him, Nigeria has signed several BASA treaties and agreements toward improving the safety standard of air travels.
He said the BASA should form the benchmark for the regulatory authorities in the aviation sector.
He said the essence of such agreements was to achieve international best practices.
Bush-Alebiosu expressed concern over the signing of several BASA on behalf of Nigerians by the Federal Government.
“The BASA seem to have been more of a curse to the growth of our aviation sector.
The concept of reciprocity and mutual benefits as enshrined in a working BASA is not the case with Nigeria.
“The profile and Nigeria’s aviation sector have continued to nose dive in the midst of these arrays of BASA agreements,’’ he said.
He further expressed concern that the underlying tenet and principle behind agreement of this magnitude was equality of flights and curable benefits between airlines of signatory countries.
The legislator urged his colleagues to support the motion so that the relevant committees could tackle the matter.
