Minister lauds Executive Order, says govt working on 24-hour goods’ clearance

As Babalakin carpets aviation industry

Minster of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Monday, said that the Presidential Directive on the Ease of Doing Business has been successful so far.
He said that in furtherance to this, the Nigerians attest mostly to the ease of getting Nigerian visas, because it is the most visibly noticed development.

This is just as Chairman of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), Dr. Wale Babalakin has stated that Nigeria is 50 years behind in development, as the country has not grown enough to compete with its peers.

The minister, who was the guest of honor at the Aviation Round Table (ART) 2nd Quarter Breakfast Meeting, said, “I think why people are talking about the visa on arrival, is because it is the one they can see physically and they go through every day, but clearly, the executive order goes beyond visas on arrival.”

“It also has to do with incorporating businesses; and today, we can dispense with a lot of bureaucracy that we used to have that hindered fast registration of businesses. Even, airport upgrading, is part of the Ease of Doing Business; and at the same time, it encompasses what is going on at the ports today. Our goal is to enable anybody to clear goods within 24 hours,” he said.

He stated that the way the country was going about keeping agreements would repulse foreign investors especially as court orders and presidential orders are not adhered to.

Also speaking during the Breakfast Meeting on Investment Opportunity in Airport Development for Economic Growth, BASL Chairman, Dr. Babalakin stated that Volkswagen came into Brazil the same time as it did in Nigeria, but today, he regretted, Brazil now produces cars and even Embraer aircraft while Nigeria is still trying to stand on its feet.

He stated that aviation has not grown in Nigeria as those who started same time with the country had left it behind. Babalakin said aviation can be a catalyst for economic growth, but doubted if the authorities are keen to make it happen.

“Aviation is a catalyst for economic growth; it can be too, but I am concerned whether we are keen on this happening. If we are keen, I am concerned if we have the skill to accomplish this. Since I have been knowledgeable, I have seen so many airlines come and gone

Some celebrated, and some are not, but they have all come and gone. Have we researched thoroughly the reason for the collapse? I used to hear the blanket answer it’s the military, but I have discovered that the engine room of the military were civilians for the reason.

I no longer find it convenient to say that it’s the military, because the civilians there destroyed aviation.”

“I am not sure there is any component of an aircraft that is manufactured in Nigeria and certified. We import everything including the aviation fuel and we are exporting crude oil,” he said.

In his reaction, Mohammed acknowledged that “there are lots of challenges in the area of regulatory framework and policy making decisions.”

He, however, added: “If you don’t obey your own agreements, you will be sending wrong signals not only to your local community but also to the international community. People come here to invest because they want returns on their investment.”