The management of Aeroconsult has advised Mr Osita Chidoka, new Aviation Minister, to be pro-active in his approach toward the administration of the civil aviation industry in Nigeria during his tenure.
Aeroconsult is an aviation training and consulting outfit.
Speaking on behalf of the group during a press conference in Lagos, Engineer Babatunde Obadofin, the group’s chief executive, said that the new Minister was admonished to free himself from politicking, as the industry is a highly technical sphere that should be jealously protected to keep to international standards.
Engineer Obadofin, said: “Aeroconsult welcomes the appointment by the Federal Government of the immediate past Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Marshal, Osita Chidoda, as the new Minister of Aviation. We join the whole aviation community to welcome him to his new appointment, urging him to strive to replicate the feat he achieved in the road transport sector which of course records more passenger movements on daily basis unlike the aviation aviation industry”.
He however noted that the aviation sector operates on a different platform for him, adding that the critical success factors in the sector may be quite different from the road transportation sector but zeal, hardworking and willingness to adapt to change may speak for the Minister.
The management of Aeroconsult therefore set the following agenda for the new Aviation Minister:
Review of all Bilateral Air Services Agreement(BASA) and Policies on aircraft operations into the country which have continued to sink the nation’s carriers and have not provided the needed leverage for development and consolidation.
Ensure that the issue of regulation be strengthened more than ever before to sustain the country’s Category 1 Safety Status of FAA.
Support and strengthen the private operators by opening the way to them and by designating them as ” FLAG CARRIERS “. This would in other words enhance capacity of domestic operators for global competitiveness.
That the over dependence on Abuja,Lagos and Port Harcourt airports should be looked into. Efforts should be made to support and encourage domestic carriers to ply domestic routes currently abandoned for reasons of low passengers traffic.
That the airport projects across the country should not be abandoned. Further, FAAN should also be assisted to embark on the expansion of MMIA Cargo Ramp which is long overdue for construction.
The lingering problem of lack of suitable aircraft maintenance facilities for medium and long haul aircraft should be revisited. This should be a PPP project to help the survival of domestic airlines, improve and secure manpower needs and stop or reduce capital flight.
In fact, we implore the Minister to ensure that the Akwa-Ibom Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility should be put to full use and can indeed be a platform for meeting the country’s MRO needs.
Issue of manpower training, which to a great extent guarantees continuity and the development of the system, should be emphasised always and lastly
The Federal Government should look into the high cost of Aviation Fuel (Jet-A1) and ensure its affordability to avoid much struggling on the part of the operators.
Engineer Obadofin seized the opportunity of the briefing and as part of the contribution to the development of the industry announced the Annual Safety Seminar of Aeroconsult, titled: “Sustaining Safety In The Nigerian Aviation Industry”, scheduled to hold on September 18, 2014 in Lagos.