BIODUN AKOMOLAFE
For formers workers of the liquidated Nigeria Airways and their families, their days of sorrow are over. The assurance of good hope was given in Lagos on Tuesday by the Minister of State, Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika
Sirika who disclosed the plan of the federal government to alleviate the long sufferings of the former staff of the liquidated national carrier at the Protea Hotel Ikeja where he had a chat with aviation correspondents, said the president was aware and is sourcing for funds to offset their backlog of gratuities.
“They will soon smile by God’s grace, I have no doubt that this social democratic government will do something soon,” he said.
On the efforts of this administration to revamp the rapidly declining aviation sector, Sirika said for airports in Nigeria to run efficiently, profitably and seamlessly the need for increased private sector participation can no longer be overemphasized even as he reiterated the decision of the federal government to concession four major airports in the country.
On the mode of private sector participation in running of the major airports, the Minister of State who however explained that the misconception that government was selling the airports or privatizing them was wrong, declared that the option of concession already taken was a foregone conclusion and it is the best option available to the government.
“We no longer have money to put in public property but we will not sell or privatize as social democrats all we can do is to concession them so as to grow them. And that we will.”
“You see government has no plans whatsoever to sell national assets but it was sheer misconception to see the unions on the street demonstrating what they thought was sales of the airport. The airports will be concessioned, the big four and then later six of the cargo designated airports and this will help us not just grow and expand the sector but put us in the right path to again be established as a hub,” he said.
He continued, “And concession will not only achieve aesthetics, right now our airports are in so sorry a state that they cannot handle aircraft like the Airbus A380 or the Boeing 787 dreamliner but if we get this right which we will, today we are doing 15million annually, in the next five years we will be doing 70 to 100million annually and you will see the impact once we do things right.”
On efforts of government to reposition the sector, Sirika explained that it would be done three pillars namely; establishing a private sector driven national carrier, establishment of a Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, also privately driven and the establishment of an aircraft leasing company.
He went further to explain that because of the paucity of fund for such gigantic projects government cannot afford to invest a kobo on the national carrier and others on the table.
He therefore called on investors to embrace the opportunity available through the enabling environment provided.
On the planned national carrier, the minister said, “The planned national carrier will be private sector driven and will go through all the processes an airline should go through before coming in, also the MRO will be private sector driven, also the aircraft leasing company that will come in along with the MRO will serve the national carrier.”
On the challenges of domestic airlines in the country, he said: “Right now one of the major challenges of airlines is maintenance and they seek hard currency in a bid to carry that out, plus they have top ferry these aircraft at a huge cost and same aircraft will have to queue for a slot on a maintenance schedule. If we had an MRO, it will go a long way to make things easier for the industry.”
