The other day, the Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, unfolded the vision and strategies of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for achieving a quantum leap forward for the Nigerian aviation industry. First, he made it clear that aviation “is pivotal to the growth of key economic sectors, certainly not limited to travel and tourism. Agriculture production and distribution, rural development, trade and commerce, manufacturing, oil and other non-oil sectors.”
In what could be termed a comprehensive mission, Sirika had quite some surprises and a handful of seemingly simple solutions to longstanding problems and issues in the sector. One surprise: Government plans to concession four major airports to the private sector. The minister believes that by bringing in the private sector, the country can achieve better infrastructural development and improve the efficiency of service delivery at these airports. The airports in question are the international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.
Besides, given that May, 2016 made it one year since this administration came on board, it was an opportunity for stocktaking.
Sirika said that some of the challenges facing the country’s airports were that of obsolete equipment and dilapidated infrastructure as well as inadequate capacity. These challenges, according to him, are expected to be addressed by the newly initiated concession programme, the much awaited completion of five new, world class, ultra-modern airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Enugu and Port Harcourt later this year.
The minister said that “the present administration is focussing on issues that will rapidly develop the aviation industry within the shortest possible time.” These issues include aviation safety and security, infrastructural development, establishment of a national carrier, lack of a world class aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, facility in the country.
Others are how to quickly develop the country’s air cargo capacity in order to participate actively in multi-billion dollars global agro-allied export trade as well as the restructuring of the country’s aviation agencies and the setting up of an aerospace university.
Sirika outlined the administration’s position on all of these issues, perhaps, leaving no one in doubt about the policy direction of the Buhari administration as regards the aviation industry. On safety and security at our airports, the minister was of the view that government’s response should include the development of a new security strategy framework in partnership with international security organisations, the determined implementation of a certification programme for all our airports and a comprehensive security threat and vulnerability assessment of the airports. A technical committee with the mandate to look into the security at the country’s airports was recently inaugurated by the minister.
On the vexed issue of a national carrier, Sirika was emphatic that the administration would establish a national carrier because of the benefits that the country would derive from it, especially from the various bilateral and multilateral air services agreements signed by the government with other countries. It will also help stem current capital flight due to foreign airlines exploiting the current absence of a Nigerian national carrier.
He however said that the carrier would be floated on the stock exchange and listed whereby Nigerians could buy its shares and own it. Furthermore, to realise this laudable goal, government would engage the services of a transaction adviser, according to the minister, “to develop an appropriate business model and framework to establish a national carrier using a public/private partnership concept.” When in place, the national carrier would be expected to form alliances and joint ventures with other carriers, in order to increase its reach and routes.
There is also the issue of national prestige and national pride when talking about a national carrier, as some smaller African countries such as Ethiopia proudly fly their countries’ colours on their national carriers, many of which have become successful ventures.
On the appalling lack of a world class aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, (MRO)l facility in West and Central Africa, the minister challenged Nigerian investors to key into the bountiful opportunity. He said that the current administration was determined to create an enabling environment that would provide an impetus to willing investors and hoped that such investors could go beyond only MRO but actually initiate the local manufacturing of light aircraft spare parts in the country, which would help save foreign exchange and create more jobs for Nigerians in-country.
The issue of air cargo facilities ties with the country’s hopes of generating more foreign exchange from agricultural produce and other non-oil exports. As the minister noted, the country was losing a lot in potential income from export of perishable agricultural produce including fresh flowers and vegetable as a result of the absence of adequate air cargo facilities.
Apart from generating forex, it has far-reaching socio-economic impact as it will improve farmers’ income significantly and help stem rural to urban migration. Government is therefore working hard to meet this challenge, with several of the required facilities under construction in strategic areas across the country.
The country’s target is to get 40 per cent of the market for agro-allied and perishable agric produce export coming from Africa to global markets.
It is sad to note that many well-trained professional aviators in the country, especially pilots are unemployed whereas, on the other hand, their foreign counterparts are having a field day working for foreign airlines operating in the country. To this end, the minister vowed that the Federal Government would henceforth vigorously enforce expatriate quotas for staffing of foreign airlines operating in the country, so that foreigners would not continue to take jobs meant for Nigerians and also review the policy on validation of foreign licences (no aviator left behind policy.)
Dati is the spokesperson for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
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