Aviation Experts Fault Federal Government’s Unstable Policies

L-R: President, African Business Aviation Association, Mr.Nick Fadugba, President Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative, Dr,Gbenga Olowo, Managing Director/CEO,, Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, Chief Executie, Topbrass Aviation, Captain Rolan Iyayi and Chairman, League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents [LAAC], Olusegun Koiki during the 23rd edition of LAAC Annual Conference/Awards held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, ikeja on Wednesday

By LOVETH AZODO, Lagos

Stakeholders in the Aviation Industry have asserted that for there to be resuscitation of investments in the aviation industry, Nigeria need to have a stable legal and regulatory frameworks.

They noted that some airlines went into extinction as a result of government’s unhealthy policies and summersaults thereby scaring away local and foreign Investors from the aviation sector.

Aviation Stakeholders expressed these views at the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) 23rd Annual Lecture Held Wednesday in Lagos with the theme ‘Boosting Aviation Investment Though Policy: Government Perspective’.

While delivering his paper, the lead speaker, Former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren who was represented by President of Aviation Roundtable (ART), Elder Gabriel Olowo noted that Nigeria make policies but summersault due to lack of necessary measures to sustain and implement such policies.

“Government must design objectives that are measurable, Nigeria must start measuring leadership,” he said.

He opined that to drive more investments in the industry, Nigeria must put into place operational excellence, stakeholder’s satisfaction, safety and security assurances, regulatory effectiveness as policy thrust.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, MD/CEO Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said Nigerian local airlines are not yet able to measure up to the expectation of maximising the country’s potential despite over 200 million population to their advantage which other foreign airlines are feasting on.

He noted that from the late 80s till date the industry,s performance has dropped rapidly as a result of politisation, overbearing governmental intervention and policy inconsistency.

According to Bankole, scarcity and high cost of aviation fuel, poor facility at airports, obsolete infrastructure, multiple taxations, shortage of forex for airline operators, multiple designation for the foreign carriers and absence of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility cause deceleration in development of a domestic airline which falls within the average of Five to 10 years.

Speaking On Nigeria Aviation ‘Vision 2030’, Chief Executive Officer, African Aviation Services, Mr. Nick Fadugba said that aviation can be a vital catalyst for Africa’s economic growth and social advancement but needs a safe, reliable, efficient and portable air transport industry that facilitates business, trade and tourism across the continent and between Africa and world.

Fadugba highlighted aviation safety, security, training, regulatory oversight, infrastructure, liberalisation, modernisation, funding, efficiency, affordability and profitability as challenges faced in the industry, all of these he said, need to be improved significantly.

Earlier, Chairman of LAAC, Mr. Olusegun Koiki called for the need for policy measures that can address anti-investment situations in the industry while attracting both local and Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and up stakeholders effort in pursuit of growth and development expectations.

1. Koiki said that Nigerian Aviation Industry has suffered and still suffering from government policies and their summersaults as players in the industry has been negatively impacted hence struggling to remain in business.

“The choice of this theme was informed by the growing concerns regarding safety and securities and how they have significantly impacted the response of investment and policies of government towards safeguarding investment routes”, he said.