By Bida Elly David
Council of Ministers on Friday resolved to expel seven foreign aircraft companies over registration forgery in South Sudan.
According to Deputy Minister of Information, Jacob Maiju Korok, the cabinet has taken the decision to ensure the safety of South Sudan airspace.
“There was forgery on foreign civil aircraft registration code committed by elements of the operators of the aircraft,’’ Minister Maiju said.
He said that due to the misappropriation, South Sudan civil aviation, through the Ministry of Transport managed to ground 12 aircraft since July this year.
Maiju noted that Ministry of Transport through the cabinet will have to ensure that the companies liable for expulsion will be banned from operation.
“The companies with the grounded planes are Alight service aircraft, Eagle enterprise aircraft, EY Icon aviation aircraft, Fly A Africa aircraft, EY-Nile wing aircraft-1EY and Nyanbiting aviation aircraft-A3D and Victor aircraft-3D,’’ he said
However, minister Maiju did not disclose when the companies would be expelled from the Country.
Maiju maintained that the government will have no compromise on the black-listed companies, after committing secondary crimes.
In May 2021, the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority withdrew the licenses of several airlines and ordered the owners to fly their aircraft out of the country.
The order came after a Russian Antonov plane crashed at Gondokoro Island, killing five crew members.
Since South Sudan gained independence about 12 years ago, the country has experienced high statistics of plane crashes, causing death to over 100 people.