Nigerians want upgrade of airport’s facilities

Stakeholders in the aviation industry on
Monday called for upgrade of airport facilities across the country in
order to boost the contribution of the sector to Nigeria’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).

 

The stakeholders made the appeal while
appraising the performance of the industry as Nigeria marks her 58th
Independence Anniversary.

 

Mr Ikechi Uko, a travel and tourism
expert, said aviation remains an integral part of the economy that
should be harnessed for the development of the country.

 

He said: “For me, I want to look at the
performance of aviation on two fronts. The first is how our domestic
airlines are doing which I can said is very good for now.

 

“At present, a single Nigeria carrier
(Air Peace) has more aircraft than even more than five or six West
African carriers which is very good for our industry and it means we are
beginning to get it right.

 

“However, in terms of infrastructure, we are still far behind compared to even countries like Ghana, Senegal and Togo.

 

“We need to upgrade our airports and
equip them with modern facilities that would improve passenger
facilitation and experience like our contemporaries are doing,’’ Uko,
the promoter of the Akwaaba African Travel and Tourism,
market said.

 

Also, the Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen
Onyema, said aviation had the capacity to create jobs for the teeming
unemployed Nigerian youths, adding that Air Peace has employed over
3,000 workers in less than four years of operation.

 

Onyema urged the Federal Government to
continue to support Nigerian carriers and prioritise their interests and
survival above foreign airlines operating in the country.

 

Onyema said: “This present administration
of President Muhammadu Buhari has been supportive of domestic airlines
and has put in place policies like removal of Value Added Tax and waiver
on importation of aircraft spares.

 

“We also believe a lot can still be done to encourage the industry especially in the area of airport infrastructure.

 

“Airlines don’t create hubs,
infrastructure does. People want to pass through your airport because of
the facilities that are readily available and Ghana and other some
African countries are making their airports hubs and are
leaving Nigeria behind.”

 

According to him, the best option for
bridging the aviation infrastructure gap is to urgently concession the
airports to Nigerian investors who are ready to invest in the sector.

 

Similarly, Mr Frances Akinjole, the
Deputy General Secretary, Air Transport Services Senior Staff
Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), said addressing the infrastructural
deficit would help to secure the industry’s future.

 

“The government should strengthen safety
and security infrastructure at the terminal and upgrading of runway
facilities should be addressed for safe landing of aircraft at the major
international airports, starting with Abuja,
Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt.

 

“The government needs to fund the
maintenance and upgrading of airfield equipment, including navigational
aids, airfield lighting, approach facilities, communications and radar
equipment.

 

“These are basic infrastructure needed for safe flight operations,” Akinjole noted.

 

He added that there was also need to
upgrade meteorological equipment and research laboratories because
weather report was very critical for safe flight operation.

 

On his part, Mr Olayinka Abioye, General
Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), said
aviation was the face of any economy in the world.

 

Abioye said: “It will be recalled that
the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, had a road map and
if they can be implemented then the aviation industry will be in a
better position.

 

“The major road map include the
establishment of maintenance, repair and overhaul facility,
establishment of a national carrier which had been started but
strategically suspended now and the establishment of an aircraft leasing
company.

 

“If these three things alone are followed
thoroughly, transparently and inclusively then the Nigeria aviation
industry will ever be the same again.

 

“But by and large we have not done badly
because the Lagos and Abuja airports recently got their certifications
and we also got recertification of our airports by the Federal Airport
Administration (FAA) of the United States.”

 

He also advised government to improve in
the area of security at the airports which was in consonance with the
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 17.