Why airports are being concessioned – Sirika

JOHN OKOH

Poor revenue generation, decay of infrastructure, non-challant attitude of workers and the need to take aviation to the greatest height informed the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika’s decision to adopt the concession option for some airports in the country.

Sirika at various occasions had never hidden his intention about airport concession tailored towards the aviation masterplan which is geared towards improving on civil aviation and transportation in general.

He affirmed that the nation’s airports were a shambolic eyesore with clutters being erected all over without plans and this needs to be discouraged.

The minister is of the view that apart from air connectivity, that investments not only from the government but private sector collaboration will be the catalyst for the development of the sector.

The way to achieve this, according to him, is to expedite actions on the Aviation master plan that revolves around upgrading the airport facilities for an aviation economy that will be viable and also be a revenue earner for the country through the optimal usage of the facilities.

Sirika stated these 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,’ in his keynote address.

He said all hands are on deck to make this a possibility and the whole team including regulators in the aviation sector were working daily to make the airports viable and a thing of pride to Nigeria with the provision of requisite infrastructural facilities.

‘’We in government believe that we should hold those assets for the Nigerian people in trust. We must make those assets better to provide the services that are needed. So, we said, rather than sell out rightly, we will concession. In other words, we would give it up to someone who would operate them and make them better’’, he stated.

Sirika noted while disclosing his intention to stakeholders that facilities at the Murtala Mohammad Airport Ikeja have been overstretched as the terminal constructed since 1979 to handle 200,000 passengers, currently processes nearly eight million flyers.

Sirika also explained that a measure was already put in place to show the commitment towards airport revamp as there will no longer be land allocation around the airports to anybody until the actualisation of the airport’s masterplan.

The Minister stated this while responding to some stakeholders request for land, as he stated that until the aviation industry completes the master plan of the airports, there would be no allocation of land.

“Despite the various upgrades done over the years with locally and externally sourced funds and grants, the deplorable state of airports in Nigeria, aside from the embarrassment to the image of the country due to the poor aesthetics, has become an anathema to how airports should be due to the way they presently”.

Aside from being largely unviable, the infrastructure and navigational decadence at the airports cannot effectively guarantee the safety of passengers and ensure the security of all at the airports as most are derelict, inefficient and ill-equipped.

But with determination, Sen Sirika has vowed to continue with the roadmap to a conclusion in order to give the country a befitting aviation sector

At inauguration, the unions in the aviation sector welcomed the minister and expressed confidence in Sirika’s ability to uplift the sector and ensure its growth.

Reeling out his promises to the aviation sector, Sirika assured of the implementation of the aviation road map and the moving of the industry to enviable heights. The minister promised to work with the unions in the sector to position the industry to solve its challenges.

Sirika promised that there would be an understanding between him and major players in the sector, including the unions, to drive growth and advancement in the sector.

There were four promises that stood out in the roadmap of the minister for the aviation sector. These are: the establishment of a national carrier, the concession of four of the nation’s international airports, the establishment of the Maintenance, Repair and the Overhaul centre (MRO), and lastly, the establishment of the aviation leasing company, which is the aircraft leasing programme.

At the Airport Business Summit and Expo, Sirika assured that there will be no job loss but opportunity to engage more hands in the system as government has fixed between June and August to commence activities on concession.

Sirika, addressing stakeholders, said there was no need to sell the people’s assets but to concession them in a way that it will be operated with a view to providing more revenue.