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All Progressives Congress (APC) Legacy Awareness and Campaign (APC -LAC), a voluntary think-tank group,says President Muhammadu Buhari administration is pursuing a silent revolution aimed at transforming the aviation sector.
The group mentioned the major plank of the Roadmap to include the Establishment of a National Carrier, Development of Agro-Allied/Cargo Terminals, and Concession of the Major International Airports,
Other parts of the revolution, the group claimed in a statement, include the establishment of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Center, establishment of an Aviation Leasing Company, Development of Aerotropolis (Airport Cities), establishment of an Aerospace University, Designation of 4 International Airports as Special Economic Zones, Upgrade of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).
The group said following the
launch of the Aviation Roadmap, the Aviation ministry has focused on implemention of infrastructural renewal in some of terminal with the completion of the new Terminals of the Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kano International Airports, inherited from the previous administration while the new Lagos Terminal is very close to completion.
“A brand new runways have been constructed at the Abuja and Enugu International Airports, in 2017 and 2020, respectively. More than a dozen airports around the country have had Low Level Windshear Alert Systems (LLWAS) installed, to improve flight safety. Investigations revealed that the Sosoliso and ADC plane crashes of 2005 and 2006 respectively were caused by the absence of LLWAS in the airports.
“The Lagos and Abuja Airports have had the Category 3 Instrument Landing System (ILS) installed – which provides the capability for landing safely and accurately in conditions of near-zero visibility. Another 3 Nigerian Airports have been scheduled to benefit this year”.
The statement signed by Ismail Ahmed, APC Youth Wing leader and DG PGF Salisu Lukman, also explained that concession process for the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt International Airports is ongoing, with completion of the process scheduled for 2022.
“Under President Buhari’s watch, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) has acquired several new training aircraft, and has been recognised globally by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Among other things the NCAT now has a brand new Boeing 737 Full Flight Simulator, as well as a fully-automated Fire and Smoke Aircraft Training Simulator, which now means that Nigerian personnel no longer have to be sent to Cameroon for training on tackling aircraft fires and smoke.
“The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) now has a world-class Flight Safety Laboratory, which means that Airplane Recorders, popularly known as “Black Box”, no longer have to be sent abroad for analysis. Furthermore, the AIB is now actively providing technical support and services to other African countries, including assisting Sierra Leone to set up its own Accident Investigation Agency, in 2021.
“To mitigate the negative impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the sector, the Federal Government in 2020 released the sum of 5 billion Naira in bailout funds, which was shared amongst airlines, ground handling companies, travel agencies, flight catering services operators, and other stakeholders” they claimed.
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