The federal government has said that it is working on the
final details on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visa issue ban on Nigerians.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus
Keyamo, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the 7th African Aviation
Summit in Abuja, a few days after the UAE lifted its month-long visa ban on
Nigerian travellers.
He said that it was crucial for airlines operating between
Nigeria and the UAE to have reciprocal rights as per the Bilateral Air Services
Agreements.
The minister was of the opinion that there was a need for
balanced and fair treatment between the two countries.
Keyamo noted: “We are working out the details. When two
countries agree at the very top level, then of course all the government
operatives will begin to work out the tiny details.
“So, we are beginning to work out all the tiny details. I
met with Emirate before I left UAE, I met with Etihad before I left UAE and we
are working out the details.
“The time frame, we cannot say the time frame. Kicking off an
airline operation again on a route, it is not that you will go and grab one
empty plane sitting in a place.
“There is no idle plane sitting anywhere, they have to
reschedule their flights, restart their routes again, and all kinds of things.
All kinds of permission will be taken from local authorities, and of course, I
made the point in speaking with them that they will have to give our airlines
reciprocal rights under our BASA.
“That is the point I insisted on, and they did say that any
spot we need, they will give us as much as we give them those spots within
Nigeria.”
The minister also addressed concerns regarding trapped
funds, and assured that efforts are being made to ensure that the funds of
foreign airlines are repatriated.
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