Uche Usim, Abuja
Plans of having a national airline and a sound Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in the country crystallized, on Wednesday morning, when Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said a Transaction Advisers for the projects would be unveiled, on Thursday, at the 4th Aviation Stakeholders Forum, in Abuja.
Other major projects in the sector for which the Transaction Advisers will be unveiled are; concession of the four International Airports (Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano) Agro-allied and cargo terminals, development of Aerotropolis (Airport Cities) and establishment of an aviation leasing company.
The Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs of the Ministry, James Odaudu, made the disclosure in a statement, in Abuja, on Wednesday morning.
He said, “The Federal Government, in pursuance of its resolve to carry along all critical players in the aviation industry in the formulation and execution of its programmes, will this week unveil Transaction Advisers recently appointed for some major projects in the sector.
“Towards this end, an Aviation Stakeholders Forum has been scheduled for Thursday March 29th 2018 in Abuja to be presided over by the Minister of State for Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika.
“The Forum which will be the 4th in the series since Senator Hadi Sirika became the Aviation Minister, will also be an opportunity for him to update stakeholders on other developments within the sector while receiving inputs from them on the way forward”, Odaudu stated.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari at the outset of his administration promised to set up a national carrier for the country as a way of creating employment, curtailing capital flight, boosting revenue and giving Nigerians quicker and seamless access to the world via air transport.
While the Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika is driving the project, the Minister said a sound MRO would be needed in the country as well as overseas maintenance almost eats up the profit of Nigerian carriers.
It is estimated that Nigerian carriers spend up to N400 billion on overseas maintenance annually.