Agenda for incoming minister

As Captain Hadi Sirika steps down today as Minister of State, Aviation; his stewardship in the industry has thrown up more questions than answers in an industry in search of leadership. Sirika’s efforts to navigate around uncompleted airports and air navigation projects; unfulfilled promises on the national carrier; lingering industrial disharmony and intrigues over concession of airports remain defining. The new minister of aviation will, no doubt, have a daunting task in the drive to reposition the industry, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

It is time for stock taking as Captain Hadi Sirika steps down today  as the  Minister of State, Aviation. His stepping down as helmsman of the aviation industry comes as the curtain is drawn on the first term of the Muhammadu Buhari administration  which has promised the next level as the President is inaugurated for the second term in office.

The near four-year tenure of Sirika  as Minister in charge of Aviation witnessed a flurry of activities ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous at a time government is desirous to position the aviation sector as a catalyst of socio – economic development.

His performance has been has been a mixed bag as the pilot turn politician straddled between rhetorics and action in delivering the promise  of the  administration to utilise aviation as an economic enabler to grow the gross domestic product and position Nigeria as an aviation hub for West and Central Africa regions.

Experts say the utmost dream of the  industry remains unfulfilled   as many projects proposed by the administration are yet to come to fruition.

To underscore the determination of the administration, Sirika at the twilight of the first term of the administration embarked on a hurried inauguration of projects aimed at fixing infrastructure gaps in the industry.

Besides a few achievements by the administration, experts say as much as Sirika has contributed his best to development of the industry; the incoming minister of aviation must consider giving priority to the controversial national carrier.

 

Controversy over National

Carrier

The reason, the incoming minister in charge of aviation must consider the national carrier deeply is rooted in the division in the positions taken by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Ameachi and his aviation counterpart.

While Amaechi said the outgoing Federal Executive Council was divided over the modalities to adopt and government equity in the proposed carrier, Sirika said the project was on course without giving details of the transactions concerning the project.

Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, has said the Federal Executive Council was  confused if it was to  establish a national carrier.

He said: “On national carrier, (the) cabinet is divided on the issue of modality.There are those who believe that the Federal Government should invest and then we can sell the equity later.

“There are also those who believe that no, and from day one they say let us get investors in and give them the franchise of Nigeria Airways or Air Nigeria or whatever is called. That is where we are and that is what held it down. But as for whether it is still in our plan, it is and has not been abandoned.”

In what may appear different, Sirika said  plans were underway by the Federal Government to revisit the national carrier project.

He said that the ministry only suspended the project to put adequate measures in place, promising that the project would be delivered soon.

He said the project, which was President Muhammadu Buhari’s brainchild, would not be allowed to die.

He expressed concern that despite being a huge aviation market, Nigeria could not boast of a national carrier.

He said: “We have to suspend the earlier plans for the national carrier for strategic reasons. The move was not killed.

“Provisions have to be made to continue to fund activities of advisers and so on, to ensure that it is delivered.

“The carrier will be delivered within the life of this administration, this I can assure you.

“It is not forgotten by government. It will continue and we are doing everything we can to deliver it,” he said.

The minister, however, stated that the carrier would not be funded solely by government.

“It is Public Private Partnership (PPP). The private sector will lead and deliver while the government will play its role.

“Viability funding is also being addressed. After that, then the full business case which is the implementation stage. It is at that point that it will be advertised for people to come in and participate,” he said.

He said that the process would be transparently done through local and international fora and media.

He added that anybody who was interested in getting in information on funds spent and other processes was free to do so, stressing that the ministry would be willing to respond.

The minister lamented that besides the huge revenue loss due to absence of a national carrier, Nigerians still pay exorbitantly to use air carriers belonging to other countries.

He stated that consequently, President Muhammadu Buhari directed that the Viability Gap Funding for the project be provided for in the 2019 Appropriation, adding that the National Assembly had graciously done that.

 

Uncompleted Airports Remodelling Projects

Though government made efforts to fix some inadequate airport and air navigation facilities, experts say much is expected from the incoming minister of aviation, who should as a matter of priority rework the airports remodeling programme.

Speaking in an interview, aviation consultant and Chief Executive Officer, Aglow Limited , Mr Tayo Ojuri said government should speed up construction of ahro- allied facilities including storage and logistics infrastructure at airports.

He said doing this will improve the agro-allied value chain and position it to contribute significantly to the gross domestic product.

He said the incoming minister of aviation must focus on commercialisation of airports to enable them attract investment in the export value chain for cargo and agricultural produce.

Experts say the incoming minister should think out of the box on how to complete abandoned passenger and cargo terminals littering the country.

Significantly, experts  say the government should focus energy on abandoned cargo airport terminals conceived in 2011 under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

These projects, which have since been abandoned, were conceived to boost the non-oil sector as a huge foreign exchange spinner.

The proposed perishable cargo terminals were earmarked for Abuja, Akure, Calabar, Ilorin, Jalingo, Jos, Kano, Lagos, Makurdi, Minna, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Uyo.

These airports, which are in proximity to food baskets, were supposed to be developed with international standard perishable cargo facilities to enhance their operations.

If the government accords priority to these projects, it will position Nigeria to key into the  over N250 billion yearly air freight export market in Africa.

Experts said this would  put Nigeria on the same pedestal with countries, such as Kenya, South Africa, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Egypt, which  are trading in commodities, including  fruits, fresh fish, vegetables and flowers.

A cargo expert, Herbert Udenka, told The Nation that there was the need to adopt a strategy to tackle the problem.  “The strategy is, therefore, to create the much-needed storage infrastructure in view of the large volume involved and to facilitate the evacuation of agricultural produce to domestic markets in conformity with international standards.“

On the infrastructure front, stakeholders say the incoming minister should accelerate the completion of some international airport terminals in Lagos, Enugu and Kano.

The timely completion of these terminals funded by the $500 million loan provided by the Chinese Import-Export Bank will bridge the gap in airport infrastructure.

In particular, they said the completion of these facilities will not only put Nigeria in the league of nations with modern airport infrastructure, but will make air travel seamless, safe and comfortable.

The Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) General Secretary, Comrade Abdulrasaq Siedu, said the incoming minister should encourage  FAAN to  ensure it completes  on time the new international terminals before the over $500 million loan from Chinese Import Export Bank is repaid.

Industry watchers said the timely completion of the new International Terminal at the Murtala Muham-med International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos would resolve challenges of congestion in the existing terminal, which has remained overstretched for many decades.

 

Operators’ advice

Speaking in an interview, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Executive Chairman, Captain Nogie Meggison said for Nigeria to become a hub in Africa, the incoming minister must pursue an aggressive infrastructure revolution to make its airports attractive to airlines, passengers and other investors who are keen to invest in the sector.

Meggison said it would not be out of place for the incoming minister to push for  the completion of the  new international airport terminal in Lagos before the end of the year.

Also, speaking, Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema said the incoming minister must design a blueprint on how to fix inadequate screening and security facilities at airports. He said the incoming minister must focus on the single screening point at the Eastern Wing of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), Lagos, which contributes to airlines delaying flights.

Onyema said the incoming minister should mandate FAAN to consider expanding check-in and screening facilities at the domestic wing of the Lagos Airport to reduce the burden airlines and passengers’ experience.

Besides, he said the incoming minister should ramp up efforts by aeronautical agencies in the provision of air-field lighting system and other flight navigation facilities at the airports to enable airlines utilise their aircraft maximally.

Onyema said the incoming minister should do this : “ All we need is for the government to help us fight international aero-politics, this is what is lacking here. The moment government starts helping us by taking charge of the aero-politics, Nigerian airlines would get it right.

“What these airlines need is the support of government to move forward. We are not asking government to give us money.”

 

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