The Nation Newspaper

Category: Aviation

  • NAMA loses N500m to non-payment of en-route charges

    THE Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) loses over N500 million yearly to the non-payment of en-route navigational charges from domestic operators, The Nation has learnt.

    But members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) said they were not disposed to paying the rates because it would amount to multiple charges, adding that it is the practice in other parts of the world for operators to skip the payment.

    However, NAMA’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr Supo Atobetele, said the refusal of domestic operators to comply with the payment is no longer acceptable as the Supreme Court last week gave judgment mandating the agency to the charges.

    He urged domestic carriers to commence the process of liquidating their outstanding bills of more than N4billion on en-route charges.

    He reminded the airlines that the agency had been consistent in providing quality air navigation services, urging them to play their role by paying their bills regularly “as free launch is now over”.

    He said the “self-sustaining” agency requires a lot of funds to run the system and create a peaceful industrial harmony through training of personnel and regular payment of salary.

    He said: “NAMA, on record loses an average of N500milllion accruable revenue annually, following the refusal of the domestic carriers to honour bills on en-route services as they often claim to have ‘godfather’s right’ to evade payment.

    ‘’From the beginning of this case in 2006,we have chosen not to disrupt the activities of the airlines, even when the Appellant Court in Lagos, gave us the power to collect our charges.

    “We were patient enough not to rock the boat and that is why we followed it up to the apex court with the AON, and last week, the panel of judges in a unanimous decision, dismissed the appeal in our favour. This victory is part of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government, and we really give kudos to the jurists who in their wisdom delivered this landmark judgment for the aviation sector to move forward.”

    Meanwhile, the newly appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam has formally taken over the helm of affairs of the agency from the outgoing Managing Director, Engr. Mazi Nnamdi Udoh.

    The brief ceremony took place last week at NAMA headquarters in Lagos.

    In his remarks at the event, Engr. Nnamdi Udoh charged management and staff of NAMA to extend the same hand of fellowship and cooperation which saw to the numerous accomplishments of his tenure to his successor.

    He recalled that in two years, he achieved several safety critical feats including migration to area radar control, which could not have been possible without the support and cooperation of the entire staff.

    ‘’I personally implore the staff to support the new managing director who is one of us and professionally sound to handle the affairs of the agency and take it to a greater height in the provision of quality air navigation services’’,Udoh counseled the workforce.

  • ‘Touting at airports major setback’

    THE Commissioner of Police, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Mr. Waheed Salau has decried the rising incidence of touting at the airport, saying it as a major challenge to the command’s operations.

    Speaking during the decoration of 23 newly promoted officers of the command in Lagos, Salau said the police are making efforts to reduce the incidence of touting around the airport for effective operations.

    He said: “The major challenge we have here is the touts and we have always kept them at bay, because they see the airport as a pot of honey but we will continue to do our best to send them out of this place and we are actually sending them out.”

    Salau appealed to the Federal Government to provide high technology equipment to combat crime at the airport, stressing that since the world has become a global village the command needs enhanced technology to fight crime.

    Salau, however, cautioned the officers to be disciplined and dedicated to duties, adding that they should see their promotion as an avenue to work hard and serve their father land.

    While enumerating the duties of the Police Command at the airport to include protecting of passengers, keeping hoodlums at bay, prosecution of touts among others, Salau said the command was doing everything possible to ensure safety at the airport.

    He said: “Well, at the airport, we perform all police duties; we protect the passengers, who are travelling and their luggage; we keep hoodlums away; we prosecute touts and other elements who come to the airport; we also control both human and vehicular movement, you can see that a lot of vehicles now pass through the airports, we are also saddled with that responsibility.”

    One of the promoted officers, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr. Timothy Dosu said he was grateful to God and the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar as well as the Police Service Commission (PSC) for his elevation.

  • Stakeholders set agenda for would-be minister

    Stakeholders set agenda for would-be minister

    Stakeholders have set agenda for the would-be Minister of Aviation, asking that the remodelling of airports initiated by the former Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, be completed.

    The stakeholders, among whom are airline operators, aircraft engineers and concessionaires, told The Nation that damage would be done to the sector, if the projects are abandoned.

    The projects include the building of 11 terminals in the second phase of the airport remodelling; five international airport passenger terminals being built by Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) and the construction of 11 perishable cargo terminals.

    An Airport Concessionaire with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Adeola Omikunle, said investors were worried over what would become of the infrastructure projects initiated by the former minister, if they were not sustained.

    She said: “The best thing that the next minister should do is to ensure the completion of on-going projects, including airport terminals, air navigation equipment upgrade, the aviation master plan, the organised template designed for airport concessions, the increased investor confidence and other projects initiated by Princess Oduah, adding that it is the best way the government could reposition the sector.

    An aircraft engineer, Fred Bulus, said the legacies of the former minister should be sustained by her successor, whom he said must ensure that the five modern international passenger terminals being constructed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu are completed.

    He said over 20,000 jobs have been created in the sector in the past two- and- a-half years as a result of the on-going construction works in the sector, stressing that these laudable programmes must be sustained in order not to retard the tremendous progress already recorded in the sector.

    The Executive Director, Centre for Aviation Safety and Research, Sheri Kyari also urged that whoever takes over from Princess Oduah should complete her projects.

  • How to remain the best, by SAHCOL chief

    How to remain the best, by SAHCOL chief

    Workers of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) have been asked to be more dedicated to meet customers’ expectation.

    SAHCOL Chairman, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi gave the advice at a retreat tagged: “Exceeding customers’ expectations in 2014 and beyond”, held for workers in Ijebu Odo, Ogun State.

    While thanking the workers for their efforts since the take-over of SAHCOL by Sifax Group, he said through the firmhas continued to take steady steps in meeting its vision.

    Afolabi said though SAHCOL has not met its target, through commitment, loyalty and dedication of staff to duty, the firm would get there.

    He explained that the Sifax Group invested in SAHCOL to reverse the decline in service delivery sector, and build a firm that compete in ground handling, not just in Nigeria, but globally, and as well provide a platform through which employees would develop expertise and achieve their various ambitions.

    He said in the last four years, huge investments have been made in the critical ground equipment division running into billions of naira, while plans are on to take delivery of more modern equipment in the months ahead.

    “The ultra-modern cargo warehouse, which will become operational in the second quarter of the year, has the state-of-the-art handling equipment, and it is the first of its kind in West Africa,”

    Afolabi urged the workers to be customer focused, saying they are the reason the business is in existence.

    “As service providers, customers are the only reason we are in business today, and for us to remain in business tomorrow, our collective efforts must be directed at delivering quality service that will exceed their expectations,” he said.

  • Enugu Pilgrims terminal ready

    Immediate past Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) South-East zone, Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma has expressed happiness over the completion and use of the Pilgrims Terminal at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu as take off point by Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land.

    The pilgrims terminal was completed by the immediate past minister of aviation, Princess Stella Oduah .

    Bishop Chukwuma, who is also the Bishop of Enugu Diocese of the Anglican Communion,told journalists in Enugu at the weekend after the ceremonies to mark the departure of Anambra pilgrims to this year’s Easter pilgrimage to Israel that Akanu Ibiam International Airport has indeed become international as that was the fourth time pilgrims would use the airport facility as take-off point to the Holy Land. This, he noted, has saved the pilgrims the stress of first flying to Lagos, as was the practice in the past, before the upgrading of the Enugu Airport, before jetting out of the country.

    “We are now happy that we are packaging our pilgrims from Akanu Ibiam Airport. This is the fourth state; the first state we packaged from here was Abia state, the next one was Ebonyi state, the third one was Enugu state last year, and Anambra state now being packaged for Easter Pilgrimage. We are happy that the Atlas Jet is taking them from Enugu Akanu Ibiam Airport, making this place an international airport indeed and we feel so happy.”

    “So we are hoping that the pilgrims will go as good Ambassadors of Nigeria and will allow this pilgrimage to go through them so that they can be transformed and come back not the same again but transformed to be better Christians to influence others.

  • Who should be appointed aviation minister?

    Who should be appointed aviation minister?

    Who should be appointed aviation minister? Stakeholders are rooting for a technocrat. Will President Goodluck Jonathan accede to their demand? KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

     

    IF aviation stakeholders have their way, a technocrat will be appointed minister. But they are worried by plans by some people to influence the appointment of a non-technocrat for the job.

    Last week, they sent a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan following a meeting of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the Aviation Roundtable , National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers( NAAPE), National Union of AirTransport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Cabin Crew Association, among others.

    The letter, according to AON Chairman Captain Nogie Meggison, is based on the stakeholders’ position on the criteria Jonathan should use in making the appointment.

    He said the government’s failure in the past to appoint somebody with the know-how is responsible for the sector’s slow growth.

    He said though the stakeholders have not endorsed anybody for the position, they know of technocrats that can deliver the industry by offering professional leadership when called upon.

    Meggison said the professionals came together to urge Jonathan to appoint an expert as minister because of the sensitive nature of the industry,which should not be left in the hands of amateurs.

    The failure to appoint a professional as minister, he said, would take the industry several years back, arguing that previous ministers could have performed better if they had sufficient knowledge of the sector.

    Citing other areas, such as health and justice, where it has become the tradition to appoint seasoned professionals as ministers, he said the President shoud, as a matter of urgency, consider appointing an aviation professional as minister.

    “It is not yet late, there is still sufficient time to correct the mistakes of the past … If previous ministers of aviation had aviation background, the industry would have moved forward,” he emphasised.

    NAAPE President Isaac Balami, said aviation stakeholders were poised to ensure the President listens to their agitation and immediately appoint an aviation professional as minister.He said stakeholders wouldw not succumb to any threat or blackmail until the President appoint an expert as minister.

    Balami said stakeholders resolved to ensure that the government appoints an aviation expert as minister, who will hit the ground running without requiring too much time to learn on the job.

    “The mistakes we have made in the past are enough. We cannot continue in the old fashion of recycling politicians to oversee the aviation sector. This time around, stakeholders insist that an industry expert must be appointed as minister of aviation Failure to do that will take the industry backwards,” he said.

    A few days after the letter was dispatched to the Presidency, some unnamed persons were said to have started lobbying to be made minister. The Nation learnt from a reliable source that a certain airline operator and head of an aviation agency are allegedly the arrow heads of the new move to latch on the letter to make way for themselves.

    The source hinted that rather than work towards achieving the objective of the letter, some people without the requisite experiance are positioning themselves for the ministerial seat.

    President, Aviation Roundtable, Captain Dele Ore, said such move is against stakeholders’ resolve to move the industry forward. He said: “Now that aviation has a supervising minister, he should be allowed to clear the mess left behind at the ministry by Princess Stella Oduah. The so called aviation professionals clamouring to be appointed to replace her are being sponsored to cover her tracks,” he alleged, adding: “ We have not got to a stage where names are being suggested.”

    Ore said the same so-called professionals agitating to be considered to replace Oduah are those that misadvised her and are being sponsored for the “big cover-up”.

    Ore insisted that the letter that the stakeholders signed genuinely calling for the appointment of an industry expert as minister was a genuine call, which the group had made over the years.

    He, however, expressed regrets that “our letter is fraudulently being used to promote the interest of people agitating to be appointed when they are not honourable enough for such highly exalted office.”

    Ore added: “The same experts that have misadvised the former minister so as to perpetrate what they called continuity and remodeling of the airports are the same half-baked aviation professionals that are lobbying to be appointed as minister.”

    Such moves, he said, might throw the sector into crisis.

    But the former president of National Cabin Crew Association of Nigeria ( NACCAN), Mr Olumide Ohunayo, hold a different view.

    To him, the stakeholders are missing the point since what the ndustry needs is someone with the courage to move the sector forward.

    His words: “The recent call by unions and some stakeholders calling for the appointment of an industry expert to head the ministry and their pseudo submission of nominees is self severing and not a true reflection of recent achievements and genuine yearning of the industry in totality.”

    Ohunayo also argued that the unions ‘ threat to shut down the industry if a technocrat is not appointed, is unneccessary. According to him, having a technocrat as minister is not the panacea to the problems facing the aviation industry. He pointed out that the last technocrat that headed the ministry only facilitated the increment of Nigeria Airways pilots’ remunerations and, thereafter, nothing happened again till he handed over.

    “The president must not be compelled by threats; rather, he should be left alone to make his choice, putting in perspective the federal character principle as enshrined in the constitution. What we need is an administrator and entrepreneur, who will supervise the agencies, and also attract investors into the sector.

    ‘’He or she will correct the lapses therein and complete on-going projects considering the time frame of this administration,” he argued.

  • US guidelines on helicopter operation

    The United States’(US) Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has issued a final rule that requires helicopter operators, including air ambulances to adhere to stricter flight rules and procedures.

    The rule represents the most significant improvement to helicopter safety in decades and responds to government’s and industry’s concern over continued risk in helicopter operations.

    “This is a landmark rule for helicopter safety,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, said, adding: “These improvements will better prepare pilots and better equip helicopters, ensuring a higher level of safety for passengers and crew.”

    All U.S. helicopter operators, including air ambulances, are required to use stricter flying procedures in bad weather. This will provide a greater margin of safety by reducing the probability of collisions with obstacles or other aircraft.

    Within 60 days, operators will be required to use enhanced procedures for flying in challenging weather, at night, and when landing in remote locations. Within three years, helicopter air ambulances must use the latest on-board technology and equipment to avoid and obstacles, and within four years, they must be equipped with flight data monitoring systems.

    “This rule is a significant advancement in helicopter safety,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, adding: “This rule will help reduce risk and help pilots make good safety decisions through the use of better training, procedures, and equipment.”

    Since August 2004, the FAA has promoted initiatives to reduce risk for helicopter and air ambulance operations. While accidents did decline in the years following that effort, 2008 proved to be the deadliest year on record with five accidents that claimed 21 lives.

  • What becomes of Oduah’s aviation master plan?

    What becomes of Oduah’s aviation master plan?

    Following last week’s sack of the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, by President Goodluck Jonathan, anxiety is mounting over the fate of her airport infrastructure projects.KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

    During Princess Stella Oduah’s tenure, the aviation master plan was dear to her. With her exit last week as aviation minister, questions are being asked on what becomes of the project. Under her watch, she undertook the remodelling of 22 airports across the country , which were scheduled to be implemented in phases.

    Besides, she initiated the airport city concept, otherwise known as aerotropolis, the building of perishable agro-allied terminals and replacement of obsolete air nivagation facilities at airports across the country.

    Part of the projects in the master plan include the five international airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano to be built by a consortium of Chinese investors.

    Others are the construction of the General Aviation Terminals (GAT) for charter operators in Lagos and Port Harcourt and a state-of-the-art car park, transit passenger lounge, and an independent power plant at the Lagos Airport.

    Some aviation players, including Comrade Benjamin Okewu, President of the Air Transport Services Senior Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) believed that the projects would be completed despite her exit; others, including Comrade Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, National Association of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), think otherwise.

    Okewu said the projects would be completed because aviation workers have resolved to ensure projects meant to benefit Nigerians are not abandoned.

    He spoke of plans by aviation workers to remind whoever is appointed her successor to ensure he or she does not deviate from the master plan.

    In a statement, issued after a meeting in Lagos, Okewu and ATSSSAN’s Deputy National Secretary Tarnongu Captain said all hands must be on deck to ensure that the exit of Princess Stella Oduah should not have any negative impact on the aviation industry.

    The group said it was not averse to change since it is the only thing that is constant in life .

    It said it was time for the President to appoint a person with sincere and fundamental interest of the aviation industry at heart.

    The association assured President Goodluck Jonathan of its readiness to provide the platform and safety valve to support the in-coming minister to ensure that the Transformation Agenda in the aviation industry is not truncated.

    Abioye alleged that there is nothing to convince industry players that the projects would be completed because they were shrouded in secrecy.

    He said details of the scope of work and the contractors handling the projects are not in the public domain.

    The Secretary-General, Nigerian Aviation Professionals Association (NAPA), Mr Siedu Abdulrasaq, believes that all the projects initiated by Oduah will be completed. He says there are competent hands in the team she left behind to complete the projects.

    He said the former minister has put the necessary measures in place to see to the completion of her numerous projects, including the airport remodelling and the aerotropolis project.

    But an airline operator who pleaded not to be named said there is no need to entertain any fears over the projects that Oduah left behind because they were funded by the government.

    He said: “Because these projects have changed the face of aviation, there is no way they will be abandoned, whether Oduah is there or not. Look at the airport terminals. These projects will continue because they are in the interest of the aviation industry.’’

    Mr Chris Aligbe, an aviation consultan, said it would not be acceptable for the government to allow the projects to hang in the balance because of the minister’s exit.

    He said: ‘’It is not ideal for anybody to think that the ambitous projects started by Oduah will be abandoned. Government is continuous, so who ever is appointed to head the ministry will work with heads of aviation agencies to ensure the completion of the projects. This has to be so, because these projects have turned around the sector which for many years was almost comatose.

    “There is no debate that the former minister of aviation, Stella Oduah made her mark in the sector, with the massive infrastructure upgrade, the ambitious aerotropolis, the proposed cargo terminals, the new international terminals, these were projects others could not deliver in the past. Despite the scandais and other issues raised by stakeholders, I think she made her mark, and the greatest disservice by any successor is not to continue from where she left off.’’

    Sheri Kyari, an Aircraft Engineer and Executive Director of Centre for Aviation Safety and Research, said there is no need to fear over the noncompletion of the projects Oduah left behind.

    Kyari said: ‘’One may be tempted to be afraid, but stakeholders want government to sound it to her successor that the greatest disservice to the industry master plan is not to complete those ambitious projects that take aviation to the next level. Honestly, Oduah made her mark, with courageous and ambitious projects that will take aviation to the next level. I do not think government would be insentitive to do that. This is because the expectation of industry players is so high, as to what becomes of those projects in the master plan. Despite the scandals, this was one minister that took the bull by the horn to deliver projects that have changed the face of aviation. If other ministers did a little of what Oduah did, the aviation sector would have moved forward.’’

    It is believed that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), should work towards completing the projects.

    In an interview in Lagos, Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Nogie Meggison said Oduah contributed her best to turn around the aviation sector.

    Meggison said Oduah attracted a lot of funding into the aviation sector, which helped her carry out the massive airports rehabilitation programmes.

    The AON chairman said her leadership style may appear controversial , but, she ensured any project she was convinced about was executed .

    He noted that if she had some knowledge of the rudiments of aviation, perhaps she could have done better.

    Meggison said: ”Today, we may be clamouring for the appointment of an aviation professional as minister, but Oduah before she left attracted a lot of funding into the sector, which helped her to carry out the remodelling of airports.

    In other critical areas of the aviation sector, she could have done better, if the information at her disposal at the time of leaving office was available to her when she assumed duties two years ago. But, we must admit that she tried her best.”

    However, during her tenure as aviation minister, Oduah fought a running battle with many concessionaires, whom she said were shortchangingTHE government through fraudulent airport concessions.

    She said the collective wealth of the nation, was being enjoyed by a tiny fragment of the population through airport concessions that were skewed against the interest of the government.

    This led to the revocation of the concession agreement with Maevis Limited, for the provision of automated airport management system at both the Lagos andAbuja airports.

    The matter is still in court. She also had a running battle with Bi- Courtney Aviation Services Limited, over the tenure of its concession of the new Domestic Terminal Two of the Lagos Airport as well as the building of hotel and conference centre opposite the new domestic terminal.

  • Firm, airline strike plane support deal

    Airline Services Components Limited (ASC) has signed a contract with Discovery Air, according to a statement by ASC.

    ASC has been selected to provide full component support on its fleet of Boeing B737-300 aircraft. This power-by-the-Hour (PBH) contract will cover an initial three operational aircraft.

    The agreement has room for expand as the airline is set to develop its route network domestically and regionally to Gambia, Ghana and Cameroon, among other destinations.

    The contract will be for three years after which it is subject to renewal.

    Captain Abdulsalami Mohammed, Managing Director at Discovery Air said: “We are very happy to have ASC as our support partner.” ASC Director Nick Filce expressed delight at signing the contract.

    “This is ASC’s first contract in Western Africa and a key addition to our growing portfolio. ASC has recently reinforced its focus on the region and this contract provides a great cornerstone to our planned expansion into the market.

    “ASC’s experienced and flexible approach to component support on the B737 platform ensures we are well-placed to assist the regions operators to streamline operations.”

  • Beyond remodelling of airports

    Beyond remodelling of airports

    The remodelling of 22 of the country’s airports by the Ministry of Aviation is nearing completion. The interventionist drive is intended to position the airports for the anticipated increase in passenger and cargo traffic. But many believe that the Ministry must go beyond remodelling to enable provision of good services by operators, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

    A few years ago, some airports cut a sorry picture of how an aviation infrastructure should not look like.

    For years, they were neglected by successive administrations, which did not consider the aviation sector a catalyst for socio-economic development.

    The obsolete facilities which include old generators, cracked runways were the reflections of poor management. Money meant for the sector simply disapeared. Till today, what happened to N19.5 billion aviation intervention fund and the N6.5 billion controversial safe tower project remains a mystery.

    Things appear to be in the upward spring with the recently unveiled masterplan for the upgrade of airports and terminals.

    The infrastructure intervention, christened airport remodelling, has brought about the rebuilding of terminals at Lagos, Benin, Yola, Ilorin, Sokoto , Enugu, Owerri, Calabar , Abuja, Ibadan, Akure, Port Harcourt and Makurdi airports.

    Apart from the ones already completed, work is about 90 per cent completed at some other airport terminals.

    During a tour of Abuja, Yola, Sokoto, Ilorin , Calabar, Port Harcourt , Owerri and Enugu airports, which are being remodelling Aviation Minister Stella Oduah said the project was a conerstone of this administration’s trasformation agenda.

    At the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, Princess Oduah said the the Cross Rivers State Capital, terminal was being expanded to cater for over a 10-year projection in passenger, cargo and tourists traffic.

    She said Calabar, as a foremost tourism destination, would require an expansive airport terminal of global standard that could accommodate the expected increase in the number of tourists.

    She said: “Some had huge structural defect that they had to start all over again. So, what you are seeing today is a brand new airport and, indeed, all the terminals that we have done so far. We did not just rehabilitate, we restructured and reconstructed these terminals.

    “For us to be able to do this in record time and with the resources available to us, I think we have done very well and again, it is for Nigerian people; they should have a comfortable place where they should travel from.

    “In Calabar, we have increased the capacity of the airport. Calabar Airport as you know, used to be tiny and ugly for an international airport and extremely unsafe, but this is what we have today and it is not just Calabar; it is everywhere. And as you know Calabar is a tourist destination for Nigerian government and so it is very important that we do what we did in Calabar.”

    Aviation, the Minister said, has the brightest potential, through the aerotropolis and perishable cargo programmes, to bring about a bottom-up growth and development of the society.

    She said the perishable cargo terminal at the Calabar Airport will provide a platform for farmers in the state and the neighbouring communities to live the good life beyond mere survival or susbsistence.

    ‘’Cross River State is known for her agricultural produce ranging from pineapples, bananas, plantain, cocoa, yam and cassava .

    “Today, much of what the farmers produce here is either grossly under-priced or rots away as a result of lack of local capacity to absorb the huge harvest. But with the perishable cargo taking off here in a matter of months, farmers will begin to secure real value for their hard work as their farm produce will find their way to the biggest cities and supermarkets not only in Nigeria, but also in Europe and America,’’ Oduah said.

    She continued: ‘’The value chain that will result from this is also very immense. Just imagine the industries that will spring up to service this terminal like the packaging companies, transportation hubs, as well as the grocery stores that will feed this facility.

    “Thousands of jobs would be created and the entire landscape of this wonderful city would be greatly enhanced; the possibilities are indeed, endless.’’

    She expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the airport.

    Also speaking at the Port Harcourt International Airport, the Minister dismissed insinuations that nothing concrete had taken place at the terminal.

    She said: “As you can see, so many things and so many projects are on-going in Port Harcourt; we have gone to see about three of them, we have seen the cargo terminal, the international terminal, the perishable terminal, the VIP and the General Aviation Terminal. So, it is amazing when someone says that nothing is happening in Port Harcourt.

    “To showcase the pivotal nature of aviation, you can imagine the job that would come out of this construction and after its completion, what is going to come out of it is huge and think about the economic impact it would have on Rivers State .

    “So, it is wrong for anybody to say nothing is going on in Port-Harcourt. We have been creating jobs; just while constructing, we are going to create about 30,000 jobs .

    “Take this domestic terminals for instance, the phase one is completed. It is just for us to finish with the air conditioning. We want it to be one of the largest domestic terminals and because it is a hub for us.”

    The minister described the aerotropolis project and international terminal in Enugu as a project that would transform the economy of the Southeast.

    She also inspected the pilgrims’ terminal, which is under construction .

    At the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, the minister inspected the perishable cargo terminal under construction.

    The Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), Mr George Uriesi described the construction of new airport terminals as an initiative that would increase the revenue of government through different commercial offering from non-aeronautical sources .

    He said: “We have completed the airport terminals, the remaining thing is to furnish it and it will start functioning.”