Sirika unfolds plans for Nigerian aviation

Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has unfolded the vision and strategies of the President Mohammad Buhari administration for achieving a quantum leap forward for the Nigerian aviation industry.

First, Sirika 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 notes that the 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.

Sirika says some of the challenges facing the country’s airports were that of obsolete equipment and dilapidated infrastructure, and 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.

On the focus, the minister said “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, the establishment of a national carrier, lack of a world class aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in the country.

Others include how to quickly develop the air cargo capacity in order to participate actively in multi-billion dollars global agro-allied export trade, the restructuring of the country’s aviation agencies and the setting up of an aerospace university in the country.

Sirika stated that the administration’s position on all of these tough 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 the airports, the minister stressed 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 our airports.