Mr Gbenga Olowo
Olowo, who admitted that some of Nigeria’s airlines were currently facing challenging times, however, urged the government to pay serious attention to the aviation sector.
SOURCE:-guardian.ng
He said, “Government should get serious with this sector of the economy; without airlines, there are no airports.
“It is not a bailout issue. No airline should ask for bailout and there should be no bailout for any airline in any form
“Anyway, government does not have such money to dole out to any airline for now.’’
According to him, the government should rather look into the issues of multiple taxation and scarcity of aviation fuel which are stifling the airlines.
Olowo said that those were the areas government should look into, adding “why should there be Value Added Tax (VAT) on air transportation when there is no VAT on road, rail or sea transportation?
“The government should be aware that it is killing the airlines because after paying these taxes, the monies left with them cannot cover cost.
“We are an oil-producing nation but there is no aviation fuel for our airlines. These airlines are using all the funds they have now to buy fuel which should have been bought on credit.”
Olowo, however, commended the government for removing import duty on aircraft spares, saying that it was a demonstration that it was committed to sustaining the aviation sector
Lagos—The Minister of State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, has assured unions in the aviation industry that the proposed concessioning of four airports in the country would not lead to job losses. Sirika gave the assurance at a meeting with the Air Transport Senior Staff Services of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, and the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, in Lagos.
The Federal Government had indicated its interest to concession the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports, toward increasing their capacity and efficiency. Sirika disclosed that this was the first phase, noting that all the 22 airports owned by the Federal Government would be concessioned at the end of the second phase.
He said the meeting was to give the unions the opportunity to become members of the Concession Project Delivery Committee and enable them make inputs to better the process. aviation According to him, the government’s resolve to concession the airports is aimed at ensuring the establishment and sustenance of world-class standards in infrastructure development and service delivery.
He assured the unions that concession was not tantamount to privatisation or outright sale, explaining that the facilities being concessioned remained the properties of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and Nigeria. The minister said: “You see government has no plans whatsoever to sell national assets so it is sheer misconception. “The truth is that government does not have money to invest and even if it could, with the sheer bureaucracy it could take 10 years and Nigerians are tired of what is on ground and want something new.”
He noted that private investors could provide funding for construction of world-class terminals in Nigeria under the build, operate and transfer process which would be beneficial to the country in the near future. “The vision of the government is engage all stakeholders and people who have a stake in what we are doing, especially on the concessioning of our airports and other things we intend to do,” Sirika said.
He also said two committees had been inaugurated to mid-wife the process, stressing that there would be continuous engagement of stakeholders toward ensuring what was best for the country.
The President of ATSSSAN, Mr Benjamin Okewu, who spoke on behalf of the unions, noted that the unions were not in agreement with the concession of the revenue generating airports. Okewu, however, agreed that concession done in other climes had resulted to increased revenue, building of infrastructure and other developments.
He also said the unions would meet to deliberate on their membership of the Project Delivery Committee which was extended to them by the minister and thanked him for the gesture.
Lagos—The Minister of State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, has assured unions in the aviation industry that the proposed concessioning of four airports in the country would not lead to job losses. Sirika gave the assurance at a meeting with the Air Transport Senior Staff Services of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, and the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, in Lagos.
The Federal Government had indicated its interest to concession the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports, toward increasing their capacity and efficiency. Sirika disclosed that this was the first phase, noting that all the 22 airports owned by the Federal Government would be concessioned at the end of the second phase.
He said the meeting was to give the unions the opportunity to become members of the Concession Project Delivery Committee and enable them make inputs to better the process. aviation According to him, the government’s resolve to concession the airports is aimed at ensuring the establishment and sustenance of world-class standards in infrastructure development and service delivery.
He assured the unions that concession was not tantamount to privatisation or outright sale, explaining that the facilities being concessioned remained the properties of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and Nigeria. The minister said: “You see government has no plans whatsoever to sell national assets so it is sheer misconception.
“The truth is that government does not have money to invest and even if it could, with the sheer bureaucracy it could take 10 years and Nigerians are tired of what is on ground and want something new.”
He noted that private investors could provide funding for construction of world-class terminals in Nigeria under the build, operate and transfer process which would be beneficial to the country in the near future.
“The vision of the government is engage all stakeholders and people who have a stake in what we are doing, especially on the concessioning of our airports and other things we intend to do,” Sirika said. He also said two committees had been inaugurated to mid-wife the process, stressing that there would be continuous engagement of stakeholders toward ensuring what was best for the country. The President of ATSSSAN,
Mr Benjamin Okewu, who spoke on behalf of the unions, noted that the unions were not in agreement with the concession of the revenue generating airports. Okewu, however, agreed that concession done in other climes had resulted to increased revenue, building of infrastructure and other developments.
He also said the unions would meet to deliberate on their membership of the Project Delivery Committee which was extended to them by the minister and thanked him for the gesture.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/concession-no-job-losses-sirika-assures-aviation-workers/
Lagos—The Minister of
State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, has assured unions in the
aviation industry that the proposed concessioning of four airports in
the country would not lead to job losses.
Sirika gave the assurance at a meeting with the Air Transport Senior
Staff Services of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, and the National Union of Air
Transport Employees, NUATE, in Lagos.
The Federal Government had indicated its interest to concession the
Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports, toward increasing their
capacity and efficiency.
Sirika disclosed that this was the first phase, noting that all the 22
airports owned by the Federal Government would be concessioned at the
end of the second phase.
He said the meeting was to give the unions the opportunity to become
members of the Concession Project Delivery Committee and enable them
make inputs to better the process.
aviation
According to him, the government’s resolve to concession the airports is
aimed at ensuring the establishment and sustenance of world-class
standards in infrastructure development and service delivery.
He assured the unions that concession was not tantamount to
privatisation or outright sale, explaining that the facilities being
concessioned remained the properties of the Federal Airports Authority
of Nigeria, FAAN, and Nigeria.
The minister said: “You see government has no plans whatsoever to sell
national assets so it is sheer misconception.
“The truth is that government does not have money to invest and even if
it could, with the sheer bureaucracy it could take 10 years and
Nigerians are tired of what is on ground and want something new.”
He noted that private investors could provide funding for construction
of world-class terminals in Nigeria under the build, operate and
transfer process which would be beneficial to the country in the near
future.
“The vision of the government is engage all stakeholders and people who
have a stake in what we are doing, especially on the concessioning of
our airports and other things we intend to do,” Sirika said.
He also said two committees had been inaugurated to mid-wife the
process, stressing that there would be continuous engagement of
stakeholders toward ensuring what was best for the country.
The President of ATSSSAN, Mr Benjamin Okewu, who spoke on behalf of the
unions, noted that the unions were not in agreement with the concession
of the revenue generating airports.
Okewu, however, agreed that concession done in other climes had resulted
to increased revenue, building of infrastructure and other
developments.
He also said the unions would meet to deliberate on their membership of
the Project Delivery Committee which was extended to them by the
minister and thanked him for the gesture.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/concession-no-job-losses-sirika-assures-aviation-workers/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/concession-no-job-losses-sirika-assures-aviation-workers/
Lagos—The Minister of
State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, has assured unions in the
aviation industry that the proposed concessioning of four airports in
the country would not lead to job losses.
Sirika gave the assurance at a meeting with the Air Transport Senior
Staff Services of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, and the National Union of Air
Transport Employees, NUATE, in Lagos.
The Federal Government had indicated its interest to concession the
Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports, toward increasing their
capacity and efficiency.
Sirika disclosed that this was the first phase, noting that all the 22
airports owned by the Federal Government would be concessioned at the
end of the second phase.
He said the meeting was to give the unions the opportunity to become
members of the Concession Project Delivery Committee and enable them
make inputs to better the process.
aviation
According to him, the government’s resolve to concession the airports is
aimed at ensuring the establishment and sustenance of world-class
standards in infrastructure development and service delivery.
He assured the unions that concession was not tantamount to
privatisation or outright sale, explaining that the facilities being
concessioned remained the properties of the Federal Airports Authority
of Nigeria, FAAN, and Nigeria.
The minister said: “You see government has no plans whatsoever to sell
national assets so it is sheer misconception.
“The truth is that government does not have money to invest and even if
it could, with the sheer bureaucracy it could take 10 years and
Nigerians are tired of what is on ground and want something new.”
He noted that private investors could provide funding for construction
of world-class terminals in Nigeria under the build, operate and
transfer process which would be beneficial to the country in the near
future.
“The vision of the government is engage all stakeholders and people who
have a stake in what we are doing, especially on the concessioning of
our airports and other things we intend to do,” Sirika said.
He also said two committees had been inaugurated to mid-wife the
process, stressing that there would be continuous engagement of
stakeholders toward ensuring what was best for the country.
The President of ATSSSAN, Mr Benjamin Okewu, who spoke on behalf of the
unions, noted that the unions were not in agreement with the concession
of the revenue generating airports.
Okewu, however, agreed that concession done in other climes had resulted
to increased revenue, building of infrastructure and other
developments.
He also said the unions would meet to deliberate on their membership of
the Project Delivery Committee which was extended to them by the
minister and thanked him for the gesture.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/concession-no-job-losses-sirika-assures-aviation-workers/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/concession-no-job-losses-sirika-assures-aviation-workers/
