* Aviation Minister, Senator, Hadi Sirika
The Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika has assured that the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government would complete all outstanding projects in the Nigerian aviation industry before 2023 when he would handover political power to a new government.
He gave the assurance while delivering a keynote address at the 25th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) with the theme, ‘Nigeria’s Aviation Industry: Management, Policy and Regulation”held at the Sheraton Hotel in Lagos.
Senator Sirika , who was represented by the Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau-Nigeria (AIB-N) Engr. Akin Olateru also stated that the Federal Government informed that Nigeria has 89 Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) arrangements with countries, while 15 have indicated readiness to sign additional agreements with the country, 13 others are in the threshold of re-negotiation the existing agreements.
Olateru said that all hands were on deck to ensure that the government completed all the ongoing projects in the sector.
Part of the project was the ongoing construction of the new terminal at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), which commenced in 2013.
The $600 million; $500 million loan deal secured from China and the $100 million counterpart funding from the Federal Government, had commenced in 2013 with a completion period of 20 months.
Recall that the Chairman,Senate Committee on Aviation , Senator Smart Adeyemi and the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation , Hon. Nnolim Nnaji had last week warned the Federal Government not to not to abandon the Chinese built terminal that has reached 90 per cent completion stage.
“We are committed to achieving the completion of outstanding projects we have set out for ourselves before our term runs out.
“We have a vision of a sector that will provide utmost comfort, safety, and security for the majority of passengers,” he said.
Sirika assured that the ministry has a clear roadmap for the development of the sector in Nigeria, stressing that it would ensure its growth to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through its policies and programmes.
He said that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on the Nigerian aviation industry, citing the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which put the revenue loss in Nigeria at $994 million in 2020, unemployment; 125,370 and loss of contribution to the GDP at $885 million.
The Minister pointed out that as part of efforts to improve the operating environment for investors in the sector, the government ensured zero import duties on aircraft engine and spare parts, special foreign exchange window for the aviation sector, improved availability of aviation fuel, restructured the aviation agencies, improved safety and security.
