Nigeria Secures ICAO Council Seat

Capt. Hadi Sirika, Minister of State, Aviation, confirmed the development in a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

NAN reports that Nigeria secured the vote at the ongoing 39th Assembly of the world aviation regulatory body taking place in Montreal, Canada.

Sirika said with the vote, Nigeria would be a member of the council for the next three years before another election.
He said: “I feel great; I feel that Nigeria has taken its rightful place. We are being elected into Part II yet again. Nigeria has been in this council since 1962.

“ We have been contributing our quota and aviation has taken the centre stage now in the world. Security has come to a centre stage without diminishing safety,” he said.

The minister thanked African and other countries that voted Nigeria into the council.

“I thank them very much and I thank the entire nations that voted for Nigeria.
“Most importantly, I thank the Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, who in the first place, allowed and approved that Nigeria should stand for the election.

“He gave us all the necessary support and it has yielded good result.’’

According to him, Nigeria has long ago endorsed the “No Country Left Behind initiative of ICAO’’ and has been supporting aviation industry in the sub-region.

Sirika said,”We have Banjul Accord and BAGASSO domiciled in Nigeria and headquartered in Nigeria, and being funded largely by Nigeria.

“ Nigeria will continue to play the key role in leading aviation in West and Central Africa,” the minister said.

NAN reports that the ICAO Council is a permanent body of the organisation responsible to the Assembly.

Each member state is entitled to one vote on matters before the assembly and decisions at these sessions are taken by a majority of the votes cast, except where otherwise provided for in the convention. (NAN)