The Nation Newspaper

Category: Aviation

  • ‘We plan to run efficient, sustainable airline’

    What has Ibom Air, the new entrant into the airline business, got to offer? Plenty, says its  Chief Operating Officer  (COO), George Uriesi,  who notes that the airline invested in Bombardier Canadian Regional Jet J900 (CRJ 900) aircraft because of their suitability for  Nigeria.

    Besides being cost effective , the aircraft are equipment suitable for the route and operational structure developed in the carrier’s business plan, he added.

    Speaking at the airline’s inaugural flight on the Uyo – Lagos- Lagos – Uyo route at the weekend, Uriesi said Ibom Air was investing in modern  planes to ensure reliable services by  a carrier that has designed few routes structure in its business plans.

    Uriesi, a former managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said the carrier would fill the gaps in the air transport value chain, and assist to develop the Akwa Ibom airport, including the aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul centre.

    He said Ibom Air  was conceived to provide more reliable air transport services, deploy right aircraft on the route and design passenger friendly fares.

    Uriesi said: “We looked at the B737 and it is obvious we looked at the economics of the operations of the Embraer and the CRJ900 and eventually we opted for the CRJ. The pros were more than the cons. Investing in more modern aeroplanes means that we have a longer period of more reliable services and in terms of business plans, that is much better for us. Besides, the equipment is the right one for this route structure.”

    Uriesi said the  airline’s vision was to be a world class regional  carrier.

    He said: “We don’t have any ambition for long haul at all. We will settle in the country and after a while we will go into the region. We want to model ourselves around Comair of South Africa. They have been in existence for about 75 years.They have been profitable for 72 of their 75 years. They are such a world-class airline that British Airways has put their livery on it. They operate franchise for British Airways. They have no ambition to go anywhere other than Southern Africa. That is the type of model we are after.”

    He said Ibom Air  plans  to grow its fleet of aircraft from three to 10 CRJ900 aircraft in three  years.

    Uriesi said: “Already, the carrier is starting with three airplanes while the fourth aircraft will be added in August.

    “ We are going to have the biggest CRJ900 on the continent. The fourth one will come in in August. Again, the fifth aeroplane will come in the first quarter of  2020. But if the numbers are achieved before then, then we can bring it forward. It is going to be organic expansion  over the next three years. There are indications that it is going to be faster than slower .”

    The establishment of Ibom Air , he said, was part of the grand desire to  make Akwa Ibom a destination of choice for Nigerians and visitors to the country.

    Uriesi stated: “ Because of the airline now, the MRO will very soon become established properly. The airline is designed to be very well run. It is not a government parastatal.

    “The proposition is schedule reliability, on-time departures and superior customer service. Nigerians can plan against our schedule. Secondly, if we are leaving at 7am, we are leaving at 7am. The third is superior customer service when you interact with us.

    ‘We believe that we are an airline that provide this tripod of services to the passengers.”

    The, Engineering Director, Lookman Animasuan said the airline had a fleet maintenance unit,   with young and talented Nigerian engineers trained to familiarise with the CRJ aircraft type.

  • Turkish Airlines gets brand valuation rating

    Turkish Airlines  has emerged as one of the world’s leading independent organisations in brand valuation and strategy consulting.

    This was made known by Brand Finance during the 2019 result announcement evaluation.

    According to the results, Turkish Airlines was declared as the most valuable brand of Turkey in all sectors.

    The national flag carrier, who repeatedly assumed this title before, reinforces its leading position in Turkey with recent results.

    Commenting on the results, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, M. Ýlker Aycý said: “We are proud of our achievements which has been crowned with our strategy to become the best airline company in the world. Continuing the last years’ success indicates that our performance is sustainable. It shows that we are on the right track. We know the value of being the flag carrier of Turkey as we keep our flag flying in 124 countries.”

    The airline was assessed by Brand Finance, which evaluates thousands of brands on a global scale through the researches centred on finance and marketing variables, annually announces its ranking results, which are shaped according to the brand power and value criteria to the attention of world public opinion and sectors every year since 1996.

  • Lufthansa hosts clients, partners

    In continuation of efforts to offer clients and partners excellent service and maximum satisfaction, Lufthansa German Airlines has relocated its Nigerian head office in Lagos from Victoria Island to Ikoyi.

    The German Airline which was formerly located at Plot PC 30, Churchgate Street, 2nd  Floor, Churchgate Towers, Victoria Island, is now at the modern state-of-the-art British American Tobacco Building on Olumegbon Road, Off Alfred Rewane Road in Ikoyi poised to offer unrivalled customer experience while providing better proximity to customers.

    Speaking on the development during a special event hosting top clients and partners at the new office,  Lufthansa Group General Manager Sales, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, Adenike Macaulay, reiterated the airline’s commitment to quality and efficient service.

    “We have been operating in Nigeria since 1962 and have become renowned for our quality and efficient services which our customers have come to expect. I am assuring our clients and partners that we will continue to uphold that fine tradition here at our new office which is open to all,” she said.

    Macaulay said the event was an opportunity for the airline to bond and interact with its clients and partners, as well as foster networking opportunities amongst those present. She expressed pride at the cordial relationship between the airline and its stakeholders, particularly its trade partners, since its debut in the country, and noted that such support has helped the airline to deliver an excellent level of service to her customers.

    Mr. Bismarck Rewane MD/CEO Financial Derivatives Company Limited, one of the airline’s long-standing passengers and corporate clients, commended the airline for its diligence, and efficiency: “I have been flying Lufthansa for over 20 years and my experience has been pleasant and delightful. It is a pleasure to visit Lufthansa in the new ambience and modern office in the up-market Ikoyi location. Lufthansa is an airline that is really committed to the Nigerian route, and in my mind remains a classy and super well deserving airline,” he said.

     

  • NAMA seeks IATA collaboration on training

    The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has canvassed for partnership and support from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in the training of critical manpower of Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) in the African Indian Ocean (AFI) Region.

    The Managing Director of NAMA, Captain Fola Akinkuotu who made these remarks while receiving the IATA Manager, Safety and Flight Operations- ATM Infrastructure Focus, West and Central Africa, Mr Yassine El Charkaoui at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos said: “such a gesture would be a win-win for everyone as beneficiaries of the training will be better equipped, better informed and will be in a situation where they will be able to offer better services to the airlines in the discharge of their duties.”

    Akinkuotu called for more understanding of the situation of ANSPs in the sub-region by the international body on the issue of navigational charges, saying there is the need to consider the cost factors in some areas particularly Nigeria in arriving at a conclusion as to whether charges are high or not. “A lot of our equipment are in remote areas which we have to support 24/7 on alternative means of electricity, even some are off the national grid, and powering these stations comes at a cost.”

    The NAMA boss said the continuous dialogue and synergy between IATA and the agency was an indication that both organisations are desirous of a safer airspace, adding that a safer airspace would impact positively on the industry. “The safer the airspace, the more passengers we can attract as more people would feel that air travel is truly the safest means of transportation.”

    Earlier in his address, El Charkaoui said his meeting with the agency was pursuant to the Collaborative Decision Making initiative which seeks to improve operational efficiency of operators, increase capacity and also optimise the utilisation of resources. He said the meeting with NAMA would afford the agency the opportunity to share its current and future plans for air traffic management infrastructure with IATA and to ensure that the opinion of airlines is taken into consideration in the deployment of new technologies.

    El Charkaoui noted that while ANSPs are implementing or embarking on new initiatives, there is the need to consider the position of IATA to ensure that navigational aids on ground match what is in the air in terms of aircraft capabilities and onboard equipment, adding that airlines need to be informed and consulted at an early stage about any potential future charges which could be borne by them as a result of the deployment of these technologies. On the other hand, he said the onus is on the airlines to provide their future plans to ANSPs in terms of fleet expansion, type of aircraft to be acquired and timelines.  Last week, NAMA  signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for effective synergy and collaboration on cross border search and rescue around  common boundaries of the two states.

    Speaking while signing the MOU  Akinkuotu, noted that as a requirement of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the pact  with Ghana  was  critical as it would enhance operational synergy and seamlessness in air traffic management between the two adjacent states.

  • AIB slams Air Peace, others on failure to report serious incidents/ accident

    The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Monday slammed Air Peace and other airlines for their persistent failure to report accidents and serious incidents involving their aircraft, saying such actions amounted to serious safety infractions.

    Chief Executive Officer/Commissioner of AIB, Akin Olateru, who disclosed this, said concealing such safety information was contrary to the rules of engagement prescribed for airlines in line with extant regulations by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the AIB.

    Olateru, in particular, fingered Air Peace, for which, the bureau  received a notification on June 5, 2019 about a serious incident involving a Boeing 737-300 aircraft with Registration Marks 5N-BUK,  from a passenger on board.

    He also cited another incident involving an Air Peace aircraft on May 15, 2019, which was on approach to landing at Lagos Airport from Port Harcourt.

    According to Olateru, the Air Peace aircraft was said to have experienced a hard landing as it touched down on the runway 18R at the Lagos Airport.

    Upon receipt of the notification, he said the Bureau visited Air Peace Limited office and confirmed the said occurrence.

     He said   the agency further conducted a damage assessment on the aircraft, which revealed that the aircraft made contact on the runway with the starboard engine cowling as obvious from various scrapes, scratches and dents, an evidence of tyre scouring on the sidewalls of the fourth tyre as well as bottoming of the main landing gear oleo struts.  .

    He said there was also visible damage to the right-hand engine compressor blades.

    The aircraft, he said, has since been on ground, awaiting implementation of the hard landing inspections recommended by the aircraft manufacturer, the Boeing Company.

    This, according to him, includes an inspection of the right-hand engine pylons and the wing root, due to the heavy impact concerns.

    Olateru disclosed that further discussions with the Maintenance Personnel of Air Peace Limited revealed that CFM International, the engine manufacturer, has also been contacted with regard to necessary inspections, to ascertain the serviceability of the starboard engine.

    His words: “The nature of the damage suggest that, there was a high probability of an accident as captured in the definition of Serious Incidents in the Bureau’s Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2016 viz: ‘An incident involving circumstances indicating that there was a high probability of an accident, and is associated with the operation of an aircraft.

    “Of utmost concern is the fact that till date, the Accident Investigation Bureau has received no notification of the incident three weeks after the date of occurrence, contrary to ICAO Annex 13 which guides the operations of aircraft accident investigation procedures.

    Read also: AIB: ex-Taraba Governor Suntai not competent to fly crashed aircraft

    ‘’Rather, the Bureau further to the occurrence, received a submission of a ‘Mandatory Occurrence Report’ (MOR) subsequently filed at NCAA, on 7th June 2019, which filing was as a direct result of the Bureau’s visit to Air Peace office on the 6th day of June 2019’.

    “An operator files an MOR after an occurrence to NCAA and not a notification to the Bureau as required by its Regulations.

    Similarly, Olateru stated that in recent times, an aircraft belonging to Air Peace Limited was also involved in a serious incident, hinting that the airline willfully failed to comply with the provisions of the Bureau’s regulations which provides that, ‘Subject to paragraph and regulation 14 where an accident or a serious incident which results in the withdrawal from service of an aircraft occurs in or over Nigeria, no person, other than an authorised person, shall have access to the aircraft involved and neither the aircraft nor its contents shall, except under the authority of the Commissioner, be removed or otherwise interfered with. Where it is necessary to move aircraft wreckage, mail or cargo, sketches, descriptive notes, and photographs shall be made if possible, of the original positions and condition of the wreckage and any significant impact marks.’

    He recalled that precisely, on December 14th, 2018, a Boeing 737-300 belonging to the airline, with registration marks 5N-BUO, en route Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu from Lagos was involved in a serious incident at about 10:44hrs. He said the information only got to the Bureau through the social media.

    ‘’Whilst the Bureau was not notified of the occurrence until later in the evening, the AIB chief stated that investigators met the aircraft at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) apron in Lagos where it was parked with the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) affected, thereby posing an undesirable difficulty in the Bureau’s bid to successfully discharge its statutory mandate of investigating accidents and serious incidents.

    ‘’A careful investigation of the incident by the Bureau revealed that the aircraft was relocated from Enugu where the incident occurred, back to Lagos: and all relevant information on the CVR was over written, thereby making it impossible for the Bureau to retrieve the actual data’.

    ‘’The Accountable Manager and Chief Pilot of Air Peace Limited at the material time were duly warned by the Bureau for non-compliance with the Regulations.’’

    Based on all the foregoing, AIB admitted that it was obvious that Air Peace management lacks the full understanding of the statutory mandates, functions and procedures of the Bureau.

    But reacting to the allegation, the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema said that when the incident happened the airline reported to the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and also wrote to Boeing and the manufacturer of the aircraft’s engine, CPM International.

    “When the incident occurred we report it to NCAA. We followed the aircraft manual, which guided us on what to do when such incident occurred.

    ‘’We wrote to Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer and also wrote to the engine manufacturer, CPM International. We also grounded the aircraft.

    “We always report any incident to NCAA and sometimes you may not know what to report to AIB because the NCAA is the regulatory authority and the Bureau is in charge of accident investigation.

    ‘’So when incident like hard landing happens and you inform NCAA, we feel we have followed the procedure.

    ‘’Boeing has written back to us and has told us what to do, according to the procedure, currently inspection is being carried out on the aircraft,” Onyema said.

  • Expert slams NCAA for failure to name sanctioned pilot, airline

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Centurion Securities, Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd), has criticised the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for its failure to name the pilot and airline it sanctioned for carrying out scheduled flights with expired medical certificate.

    He said such a “cowardly act” by the apex civil aviation regulator indicated that it shirked its responsibility of providing oversight duties.

    Ojikutu said the agency’s failure to disclose the errant pilot and carrier showed its lack of capacity to discharge its onerous responsibility as the policeman of civil aviation in the country.

    The security expert said the agency’s action amounted to double standard as the suspension of the licence of the pilot without naming the employer or operator would not show deterrence.

    Read also: Breaking: NCAA revokes pilot’s license for expired medical certificate

    He noted that as the NCAA did many years ago, it should have announced the penalty for the erring pilot and airline to serve as deterrent for violators of its regulations and laws.

    Ojikutu said: “What about the operator? No sanction was handed down some carriers that erred in the past. Why the pilot alone? Why not the operator? Unnamed pilot, unnamed employer? NCAA is really working!”

    The NCAA, on Sunday, revoked the Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL) of a pilot for serious violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs).

    The agency’s spokesman Sam Adurogboye said the revocation was the fallout of the pilot operating flights on non-scheduled operations while his medical certificate had expired.

    The spokesman said investigation revealed that instead of the pilot revalidating his medical certificate, he conducted flight operations as the Pilot-in-Command (PIC), in flagrant disregard for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.

    During the flight operations, the NCAA said the pilot repeatedly exercised the privileges of his Licence ATPL (A) when he was not qualified to exercise such privileges.

  • Improving airport facilities for night flights

    The Edo State Government and some aviation agencies’ collaboration has facilitated the installation of Category Two (CAT II) Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) at the Benin Airport. Analysts believe that with such collaboration, there is hope for improved navigational equipment at airports, KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.

    The Federal Government’s drive to equip its airports with state-of-the-art navigation and weather equipment has received a boost . At the Benin Airport, the Edo State Government, in collaboration with some aviation agencies, has installed a Category Two (CAT II) Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Distant Measuring Equipment (DME).

    The facility upgrade was part of efforts by the government to scale up flight safety, especially at some airports designated for international standards.

    Prior to this, Benin Airport was among many aerodromes that lacked requisite air navigation facilities for night flights, meaning flights operations at the aerodrome only took place between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm at the facility, thus qualifying it as an aerodrome for Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

    Therefore, the joy of installing the new facility could be understood, considering the fact that Benin Airport ranks among the first eight in the country, with commanding passengers traffic for scheduled carriers.

    For instance, stakeholders in the aviation industry are quick to note that this effort by the state government will help stall the loses incurred by airlines due to their inability to fly in and out of any airport for 24 hours because of inadequate operational facilities.

    This singular factor, according to experts, has contributed to the bust and boom circle of many indigenous carriers.

    Rationale for Edo State’s initiative

    According to the state government, its intervention at the Airport was predicated on convictions that if airports are fully developed with appropriate operational facilities, they could open up sub-national economies for growth.

    The aerodrome, government further reasoned, is part of the facilities in the economic value chain, which influences expansion of economic activities by not only freeing up markets, but providing the enabling environment to attract private investments.

    Besides, an efficient airport fitted with the right navigational facilities for 24-hour flight services, will deepen the vision of any administration to industrialise the state.

    Edo State was convinced that airports that are truly functional for both day and night flights, besides driving the state’s industrialisation vision, could be leveraged by private investors to access business opportunities.

    Strategies for facility upgrade

    In 2017, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State started a campaign aimed at upgrading Benin Airport to international standards.

    From studies carried by aviation experts, the state government unearthed obvious gaps in airport and air navigation facilities that could be a road block to the dream of making Benin Airport attain international standards.

    The airport, though a Federal Government facility, Edo State assumed part responsibility for its  facility upgrade estimated at  N169 million.

    Besides providing part funding for the project, aviation agencies including Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET)  provided the needed infrastructure comprising high-end air navigation equipment.

    Tour D’ Benin 

    During a visit by top aviation actors in the country to the state in September 2017, Governor Obaseki was quick to relay his desire to improve infrastructure at Benin Airport.

    He said though the Federal Government had the mandate to fix the airport, being its owner, yet, there was need to strengthen partnership to refurbish the airport.

    Obaseki, who conveyed his administration’s intention to the former FAAN Managing Director,  Saleh Dunoma and his NAMA counterpart,  Capt. Fola Akinkuotu after embarking on a tour of facilities at Benin Airport, said he would work with them to develop a plan to expand the airport space.

    He said the state intended  to effectively utilise assets and resources within the state for the benefit of the people, which necessitated the inspection of the airport.

    “We have approached the Federal Authority to kindly come to our aid regarding the airport. The plan is to first improve the facilities in this airport and ensure that we have night  landing facilities. This will enable the airport embark on 24 hours operation. With more airplanes coming in, we will see a lot more passenger traffic coming into our state,” he said.

    A visibly impressed Dunoma noted that though  the Federal Government had the responsibility to improve facilities at Benin Airport, he was excited by the commitment that came from the governor to upgrade the airport.

    Akinkuotu on his part  commended the joint effort by the state and Federal Government on the upgrade, noting that the approach was the way to go to drive meaningful development across the country.

    He said the agency would collaborate with the Edo State to ensure that passengers do not only feel safe, but have good reasons to fly to Benin Airport.

    Collaboration that works

    Work began after the inspection,  resulting in the state constructing  three security watchtowers, suppling and building houses for 220KVA generators, provided three Hilux trucks  to FAAN and facilitating the installation of CAT II ILS and DME by NAMA.

    The Federal Government, on its part through the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), provided Thunder and Lightning System, Met Enclosure and Secure Aviation Date Information System while FAAN provided Enhanced Simple Approach Landing System.

    Osinbajo’s first flight

    After the completion of air navigation facilities at Benin Airport, an aircraft in the Presidential Fleet flew  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo out of the airport at 7pm to Abuja, the nation’s capital, being the first flight out of the airport after the facilities were installed. This ended decades of neglect.

    Speaking after the number two citizen’s flight had taken off, Governor Obaseki assured that Benin Airport would commence night-time flight operations in full after the necessary facilities have been installed as they are being received in batches.

    According to the governor, the landing facilities at the Benin Airport were already working as they enabled the Vice President’s flight to depart Benin City at about 7 pm.

    “We are expecting more night landing equipment to be installed at the Benin Airport, especially the lights. “

    It’s dream come true

    Last week, the Federal Government and Edo State inaugurated night landing equipment at the Benin Airport, thus  officially reviving night operations at the 63-year-old Airport.

    Immediate past Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said he was elated by the development, commending Governor Obaseki’s doggedness and tenacity in facilitating the start of night operations at the Airport.

    “The operational capacity of the Benin City Airport has tremendously improved as we can now guarantee safe landing in reduced visibility and in bad weather condition. Aircraft can now land in Benin Airport at night. No more closure of the Airport by 6 pm.

    “We have both ground and satellite-based equipment at the Airport in such a way that if the ground base equipment fails, the satellite base equipment will work to ensure safe landing at the Airport either in the day or at night,” Sirika said.

    Speaking on further plans to maximise the use of the airport,  Sirika said preparations have reached advanced stage in building an Agro-allied Cargo Terminal at the Benin Airport, adding that work on the civil structures has commenced with Governor Obaseki’s support.

    He added: “We are bringing a cargo terminal to Benin to facilitate exportation of perishable agricultural products and other produce targeted at foreign markets.”

    On his part, Governor Obaseki said with the installation of the equipment and commencement of night landing facilities, the Airport can now compete with its peers across the world. He commended FAAN and NAMA for their working relationship with his administration for over a year and a half in ensuring that the upgrade became a reality.

    On the benefits of the upgrade to the state, Governor Obaseki said the development will transform the Benin Airport. “The reason we insisted on upgrading facilities at the Benin Airport is that it is one of the five Airports with high passenger traffic in the country. With the facilities in place, we can now convince airlines to make night stop-over in the City to further increase passenger traffic to boost the state’s revenue base.”

    He said the state facilitated the construction of two watchtowers to provide military officers with a vantage point for proper surveillance of the equipment and the airport.

    Equipment inaugurated at the Airport included thunder and lightning system, Secure Aviation Data Information System (SADIS); Enhanced Simple Approach Lightening System, CAT II and Instrument Landing System (ILS)/Distance Measuring Equipment (DME).

    “All these equipment were put together by the officials of NIMET, FAAN, NAMA and Edo State Government. Two 220 KVA generators and plant house were built by the state government as well,” the governor revealed.

    Stakeholders’ / experts’ views

    Speaking on the development, Aviation Security Consultant, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd) said night operations provide immense economic opportunities for cities with such operations, as they open up a new vista of businesses for the airlines operating from such airports and the state’s local economy.

    He hinted that Benin Airport was one of the few airports aside Lagos and Abuja airports with night operations, and with the inuaguration of the facilities, there are prospects for economic boom in the state.

    Some of the benefits include hosting of conferences and Annual General Meetings by companies in the state due to reduced accommodation cost and other logistics.

    There is also the prospect of shows and concerts, wherein guests can easily leave the city by night as soon as the event wraps up. Al these will pull a lot of traffic to the state and increase spending in the local economy.

  • Breaking: NCAA revokes pilot’s license for expired medical certificate

    Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has revoked the Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence ATPL of a Pilot for serious violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs).

    Spokesman of the authority , Sam Adurogboye has disclosed.

    He said the  revocation was a consequence of the Pilot operating flights on non-schedule operations while his medical certificate has expired.

    The NCAA spokesman said investigation  revealed that instead of the Pilot revalidating his Medical Certificate he conducted flight operations as the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) in flagrant disregard of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs).

    During these flight operations,  the NCAA said the Pilot repeatedly exercised the privileges of his License ATPL (A) when he was not qualified to exercise such privileges.

    He said :” Specifically, the Pilot’s Medical Certificate commenced validity from 17th July, 2017 and expired on the 16th January, 2018. Another one was processed on 11thMay, 2018 which expired on the 10th November, 2018.

    Read also: NCAA gives travel agents ultimatum

    “According to Part 2.11.1.2-(b) A flight crew member or air traffic controller shall not exercise the privileges of his/her licence unless he/she holds a current medical certificate appropriate to the licence.

    “Consequent upon this, the Authority has determined that pursuant to Part 2.11.1.2(b) of the Nig.CARs, the Pilot has lost the privileges of his Licence. He does not hold a current medical certificate appropriate to the Licence.

    Resultantly, in Part 2.2.9.3 (a) A licence, rating, authorisation or certificate shall be revoked if the holder has lost the skills for exercising the privileges mentioned in the document or fails to meet appropriate medical standards as shown by the result of a medical examination or a test.

    “Therefore, in line with Part 1.3.3.3(a)(1) of the Nig.CARs, the Pilot’s Licence ATPL (A] [ A- Aircraft] is hereby revoked with immediate effect, and it ceases to be effective.”

    The Pilot has been directed to return the invalidated licence to the Authority’s Director of Licensing (DOL) within seven days of receipt of the Letter of Sanction.

    The letter has  been despatched to the pilot.

    He further said :” The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) wishes to reiterate very strongly that violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will continue to view very seriously any infraction of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs).”

     

  • Nigeria Airways Pensioners hold finance minister hostage

    Pensioners of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL) yesterday held Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed and the Permanent Secretaries hostage over the non-payment of their entitlements.

    The aggrieved retirees said they were asked to come to the ministry for verification and eventual payment of their benefits being handled by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) domiciled in the ministry of finance.  Many of them said they arrived at the ministry from their home states on Sunday and that as at yesterday, nobody had come to attend to them from the ministry.

    Speaking to journalists on why they had to block the gate and prevent the finance minister and others from leaving the premises, Sam Nzene told reporters that they missed out on the first tranche of payment “although to no fault of the government” but they were asked to come back for data capturing.

    Lamenting that “no arrangement have been made for our verification so far”, he added that they contacted the consultant handling the disbursement of the entitlement “but he refused to come because he has neither been paid nor his contract regularised.”

    Read also: Finance ministry releases N4.33tr for three-year capital spending

    After waiting from two days, without anybody attending to them, the aggrieved pensioners barricaded the Ahmadu Bello Way entrance of the ministry by 4.30pm yesterday to block the minister and others from driving out of the premises.

    The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor tried to calm the angry NAL workers but to no avail. She left after her intervention failed.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters Senator Ita Enang, the Commissioner for Insurance Mohammed Kari, the Director General of the Debt Management Office (DMO) and others all witnessed the protest.

    Around 6:45pm, Nzene directed the protesters to proceed to the auditorium, that the government has agreed to begin the verification, but the retirees divided themselves into two.

    A group stayed back to sustain the preasure.

    On October 15, last year, the government kicked-off the final verification and payment of N22.6 billion entitlements to all former staff of the defunct NAL. The long-awaited payment was to last for one week and hold simultaneously in the three regional hubs of Lagos, Kano and Enugu.

    The “beneficiaries are expected to come along with the following documents to the centres: Letter of Appointment, Letter of Confirmation, Letter of Last Promotion, Letter of Retirement, NAL Identity Card, Other Means of Identification (National ID Card, International Passport, Driver’s License, etc), Particulars of Bank Account: A cheque slip or statement of Bank Account, Letter of Administration to be presented by Next-of-Kin (NOKs) in the case of deceased beneficiaries. Beneficiaries will be subjected to biometric Data Capture; and hence notice will be placed at the venue and specific date for capturing of each beneficiary will be indicated.”  The Federal government had approved N22.68 billion for the ex-workers of the defunct national carrier.

    Speaking in Abuja during her maiden meeting with the ex-workers after resumption as Finance minister, Mrs. Ahmed said: “Some pending fiscal issues in the aviation and education sectors were immediately brought to my attention. I took it as a challenge to quickly address key issues regarding the settlement of existing claims in both of these sectors.

    “Consequent upon this, I am happy to inform you that Mr. President has graciously approved the sum of N22.68 billion and N20 billion to aviation and education sectors respectively.”

    President Muhammadu Buhari approved the release of N42.68 billion for workers in the aviation and education sectors. N22.68 billion was for the settlement of outstanding retirement benefits due to the ex-workers of the Nigeria Airways while the balance N20 billion is for the immediate release to public universities for their revitalisation schemes.

    Mrs. Ahmed noted that the initial submission regarding the retirement benefits of ex-workers of Nigeria Airways limited in liquidation was N78 billion.  This amount, she said ‘was verified by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) and other relevant stakeholders in line with the conditions of service  of NAL and other extant rules and regulations, at the end of the verification, the sum of N45 billion was agreed as the total retirement benefits of the affected staff.”

    Embarrassed by the blockade of the ministry’s gate which prevented the minister of finance from leaving the office after she handed over, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Mohammed K Dikwa, who she handed over to, demanded an apology from the protesters for embarrassing the minister.

    The cowed protesters apologised profusely and promised to present themselves for the bio metric capture from 10am to 2pm on Wednesday.  Addressing them protesters in the ministry’s auditorium, Dikwa assured the NAL protesters the government has approved the balance of N200 billion to be released for payment to the NAL workers.

  • Agenda for incoming minister

    As Captain Hadi Sirika steps down today as Minister of State, Aviation; his stewardship in the industry has thrown up more questions than answers in an industry in search of leadership. Sirika’s efforts to navigate around uncompleted airports and air navigation projects; unfulfilled promises on the national carrier; lingering industrial disharmony and intrigues over concession of airports remain defining. The new minister of aviation will, no doubt, have a daunting task in the drive to reposition the industry, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

    It is time for stock taking as Captain Hadi Sirika steps down today  as the  Minister of State, Aviation. His stepping down as helmsman of the aviation industry comes as the curtain is drawn on the first term of the Muhammadu Buhari administration  which has promised the next level as the President is inaugurated for the second term in office.

    The near four-year tenure of Sirika  as Minister in charge of Aviation witnessed a flurry of activities ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous at a time government is desirous to position the aviation sector as a catalyst of socio – economic development.

    His performance has been has been a mixed bag as the pilot turn politician straddled between rhetorics and action in delivering the promise  of the  administration to utilise aviation as an economic enabler to grow the gross domestic product and position Nigeria as an aviation hub for West and Central Africa regions.

    Experts say the utmost dream of the  industry remains unfulfilled   as many projects proposed by the administration are yet to come to fruition.

    To underscore the determination of the administration, Sirika at the twilight of the first term of the administration embarked on a hurried inauguration of projects aimed at fixing infrastructure gaps in the industry.

    Besides a few achievements by the administration, experts say as much as Sirika has contributed his best to development of the industry; the incoming minister of aviation must consider giving priority to the controversial national carrier.

     

    Controversy over National

    Carrier

    The reason, the incoming minister in charge of aviation must consider the national carrier deeply is rooted in the division in the positions taken by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Ameachi and his aviation counterpart.

    While Amaechi said the outgoing Federal Executive Council was divided over the modalities to adopt and government equity in the proposed carrier, Sirika said the project was on course without giving details of the transactions concerning the project.

    Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, has said the Federal Executive Council was  confused if it was to  establish a national carrier.

    He said: “On national carrier, (the) cabinet is divided on the issue of modality.There are those who believe that the Federal Government should invest and then we can sell the equity later.

    “There are also those who believe that no, and from day one they say let us get investors in and give them the franchise of Nigeria Airways or Air Nigeria or whatever is called. That is where we are and that is what held it down. But as for whether it is still in our plan, it is and has not been abandoned.”

    In what may appear different, Sirika said  plans were underway by the Federal Government to revisit the national carrier project.

    He said that the ministry only suspended the project to put adequate measures in place, promising that the project would be delivered soon.

    He said the project, which was President Muhammadu Buhari’s brainchild, would not be allowed to die.

    He expressed concern that despite being a huge aviation market, Nigeria could not boast of a national carrier.

    He said: “We have to suspend the earlier plans for the national carrier for strategic reasons. The move was not killed.

    “Provisions have to be made to continue to fund activities of advisers and so on, to ensure that it is delivered.

    “The carrier will be delivered within the life of this administration, this I can assure you.

    “It is not forgotten by government. It will continue and we are doing everything we can to deliver it,” he said.

    The minister, however, stated that the carrier would not be funded solely by government.

    “It is Public Private Partnership (PPP). The private sector will lead and deliver while the government will play its role.

    “Viability funding is also being addressed. After that, then the full business case which is the implementation stage. It is at that point that it will be advertised for people to come in and participate,” he said.

    He said that the process would be transparently done through local and international fora and media.

    He added that anybody who was interested in getting in information on funds spent and other processes was free to do so, stressing that the ministry would be willing to respond.

    The minister lamented that besides the huge revenue loss due to absence of a national carrier, Nigerians still pay exorbitantly to use air carriers belonging to other countries.

    He stated that consequently, President Muhammadu Buhari directed that the Viability Gap Funding for the project be provided for in the 2019 Appropriation, adding that the National Assembly had graciously done that.

     

    Uncompleted Airports Remodelling Projects

    Though government made efforts to fix some inadequate airport and air navigation facilities, experts say much is expected from the incoming minister of aviation, who should as a matter of priority rework the airports remodeling programme.

    Speaking in an interview, aviation consultant and Chief Executive Officer, Aglow Limited , Mr Tayo Ojuri said government should speed up construction of ahro- allied facilities including storage and logistics infrastructure at airports.

    He said doing this will improve the agro-allied value chain and position it to contribute significantly to the gross domestic product.

    He said the incoming minister of aviation must focus on commercialisation of airports to enable them attract investment in the export value chain for cargo and agricultural produce.

    Experts say the incoming minister should think out of the box on how to complete abandoned passenger and cargo terminals littering the country.

    Significantly, experts  say the government should focus energy on abandoned cargo airport terminals conceived in 2011 under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    These projects, which have since been abandoned, were conceived to boost the non-oil sector as a huge foreign exchange spinner.

    The proposed perishable cargo terminals were earmarked for Abuja, Akure, Calabar, Ilorin, Jalingo, Jos, Kano, Lagos, Makurdi, Minna, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Uyo.

    These airports, which are in proximity to food baskets, were supposed to be developed with international standard perishable cargo facilities to enhance their operations.

    If the government accords priority to these projects, it will position Nigeria to key into the  over N250 billion yearly air freight export market in Africa.

    Experts said this would  put Nigeria on the same pedestal with countries, such as Kenya, South Africa, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Egypt, which  are trading in commodities, including  fruits, fresh fish, vegetables and flowers.

    A cargo expert, Herbert Udenka, told The Nation that there was the need to adopt a strategy to tackle the problem.  “The strategy is, therefore, to create the much-needed storage infrastructure in view of the large volume involved and to facilitate the evacuation of agricultural produce to domestic markets in conformity with international standards.“

    On the infrastructure front, stakeholders say the incoming minister should accelerate the completion of some international airport terminals in Lagos, Enugu and Kano.

    The timely completion of these terminals funded by the $500 million loan provided by the Chinese Import-Export Bank will bridge the gap in airport infrastructure.

    In particular, they said the completion of these facilities will not only put Nigeria in the league of nations with modern airport infrastructure, but will make air travel seamless, safe and comfortable.

    The Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) General Secretary, Comrade Abdulrasaq Siedu, said the incoming minister should encourage  FAAN to  ensure it completes  on time the new international terminals before the over $500 million loan from Chinese Import Export Bank is repaid.

    Industry watchers said the timely completion of the new International Terminal at the Murtala Muham-med International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos would resolve challenges of congestion in the existing terminal, which has remained overstretched for many decades.

     

    Operators’ advice

    Speaking in an interview, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Executive Chairman, Captain Nogie Meggison said for Nigeria to become a hub in Africa, the incoming minister must pursue an aggressive infrastructure revolution to make its airports attractive to airlines, passengers and other investors who are keen to invest in the sector.

    Meggison said it would not be out of place for the incoming minister to push for  the completion of the  new international airport terminal in Lagos before the end of the year.

    Also, speaking, Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema said the incoming minister must design a blueprint on how to fix inadequate screening and security facilities at airports. He said the incoming minister must focus on the single screening point at the Eastern Wing of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), Lagos, which contributes to airlines delaying flights.

    Onyema said the incoming minister should mandate FAAN to consider expanding check-in and screening facilities at the domestic wing of the Lagos Airport to reduce the burden airlines and passengers’ experience.

    Besides, he said the incoming minister should ramp up efforts by aeronautical agencies in the provision of air-field lighting system and other flight navigation facilities at the airports to enable airlines utilise their aircraft maximally.

    Onyema said the incoming minister should do this : “ All we need is for the government to help us fight international aero-politics, this is what is lacking here. The moment government starts helping us by taking charge of the aero-politics, Nigerian airlines would get it right.

    “What these airlines need is the support of government to move forward. We are not asking government to give us money.”