SAHCOL Operates Best Ground Handling Equipment in Nigeria- Owolabi

The Skypower Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL), a member of the Sifax Group, currently operates the best ground handling equipment (GHE) in the Nigerian market, according to Mr Olu Owolabi, the managing director.

Owolabi made the remark while speaking with newsmen at SAHCOL’s new headquarters in Lagos, adding that with the state-or-the-art equipment the Company handles, on the domestic scene, almost 80% of the airlines.

While on the international, “we have 40% of the business”, he said.

The MD said in spite the acquisition of sophisticated equipment, the SAHCOL is not satisfied, as it moves to improve and expand on its service delivery.

He said, “We have the best ground handling equipment so far in the country. We are however not satisfied yet, because the more we improve and expand on our service delivery, the more we will need to acquire additional equipment to meet up with the demand of our clients. The type of equipment we use, are not the type you buy and keep. The more the need arises, the more equipment we add.

“As regarding our customer base, in this business you gain some and lose some. That is the game. I can assure you that those we handle enjoy our services very well. We look forward for more customers in 2015. Our customers come first in our in our line of thought before any other thing. So far, on the domestic scene we handle almost 80 per cent of the airlines while on the international we have 40 per cent of the business.

In view of the peculiarity of the industry, Owolabi advised the Federal Authorities to find ways of ending Double Taxations as sure way to help players succeed.  

“It had always been serious issue which has not been resolved, but I understand that presentation has been made to the new Minister of Aviation, who has passed it to a committee to look into it and make appropriate recommendations.

“I am very positive that government will look into it and out ways to assist us. All the multi-million Naira equipment we invested and pay duties on are stationed at on the tarmac for our operations and cannot be parked on the street, yet we are still being billed by FAAN.

“Do you expect us to take our equipment like the FMC to the street? Government meant well for the industry when it said it was embarking on the upgrading of airports and at the same time, it should be supportive when handling companies are buying new equipment to be able to facilitate passengers and airlines needs.

“So, I sincerely belief that since airlines are enjoying zero tariff on aircraft spare parts, the same should be extended to handling companies on the equipment being imported by giving us duty free on spare parts. We have been agitating on this for long.

On Cargo Freighting & Passengers Facilitating, he said, “Facilitation go side by side with cargo handling depending on which side you want to focus and depending on the type of facilities that is provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria [FAAN]-our landlord and what we've been able to do to compliment government as one of the handling agents in the country.

“In terms of cargo handling, we are almost at the tail end of completion of our multi-million Naira bonded warehouse project which is going to be the best, not only in West Africa, but also in the whole of Africa in terms of facilities being provided.

“We sincerely hope that the government will be able to assist us in implementing the rules that govern the procedures of all of these issues that necessitated the closure of warehouses of handling companies recently for almost three weeks thereby making us lose billions of Naira in the process on both sides including us, the handling companies.

“Don't forget that we have to engage extra hands to handle security aspects of peoples' baggage. On cargo that litters the tarmac, we have to work extra hours with the men of the Nigeria Customs Service to decongest the tarmac because of the small size of the apron where the cargo freighters are parked. So, it’s a lot of workload”.

On passengers facilitation, the MD said, if the conveyor belts are not working or are not good, passengers do not want to know whether or not it’s SAHCOL’s responsibility. “So, we have to go extra length by doubling our staff on shift to meet the challenges. Don't forget that we also pay overtime allowances to our staff for working extra hours to be able to meet passengers

On opening the SAHCOL new magnificent warehouse, he said that before the end of February 2015, “we will start the test running of the facilities provided in the warehouse. The type of facilities there are a complete village on its own. We are looking at March 2015 for the formal opening of the new warehouse”.

He added that, although in the provision of security gadgets to deter and detects dangerous 'terrorists' tools such as guns, bombs and other explosive materials is that of the governments, on its part, SAHCOL assist the government in the provision of X-ray machines, for the screening of exports and imports. It is therefore the job of of the Customs to screen all in-bound and outbound goods.

 

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