NCAA Boss Thumbs Up FG Over Turkish Airlines Suspension

Chinazor Megbolu |

Glad for the Federal Government directive, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe applauded the suspension of Turkish Airlines at the weekend describing it as laudable.

He gave the Presidency thumbs up over the suspension of the airline from flying the country’s air space for its disrespectful manner meted out to Nigerians.

Runsewe, in a signed statement issued on Saturday, said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) bold action as courageous and timely.

“Time has come for all foreign airlines and other service providers in Nigeria to respect and treat Nigerians decently, “he said.

Runsewe explained further that punitive measures as rolled out by NCAA would serve as a deterrent to other airline operators in the country who only thought to milk Nigerians off their hard money and not service to the people is their primary target.

According to him; “I wish to align myself with this courageous and bold statement by NCAA suspending Turkish airline from flying into Nigeria and pray that other arms of government with oversight functions over foreign service institutions and operators, should boldly come out to protect Nigerians from foreign organizations which must treat us with respect”.

Runsewe, however, averred that his organization will partner with other federal government agencies in Nigeria towards ensuring that her citizenry is protected and the culture respected.

“My eyes would be focused on another foreign airline, which the supreme court of Nigeria recently found guilty of deboarding a Nigerian student and to which the court ruled that the aircraft of that airline must be impounded if they disregard to pay relevant fines to the student and his family”.

” As much as we want to see foreigners do business in Nigeria, it must be done within the ambience of law and the international best practices”.

”I find it very sad and disturbing that most of these foreign operators would obey the laws of their land but will come to Nigeria to take advantage of our people, so I think that time has come for us to demand that the laws of Nigeria be respected and our people given the utmost respect from the operators of these foreign airlines, “Runsewe said.

He urged Nigerians to be bold to report any time there’s an infringement of their rights from any international airline operator to relevant authorities.

It will be recalled that last week, NCAA after several complaints from Nigerian customers of the said Turkish Airlines, suspended the Turkish airline for ill-treatment meted to Nigerians especially by not flying in their luggage with them as it should be thereby infringing on their rights.