President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has assured airline operators that the National Assembly would ensure that the aviation sector was protected and supported.
Lawan said this when executives of the Airline Operators of Nigeria paid him a visit at the National Assembly on Thursday in Abuja.

They were led to the Office of the Senate President by Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika.

Lawan said that for private investors in the country’s aviation industry to survive, government policies must be fine-tuned to ensure their smooth operation.

The Senate President who pledged the support of the National Assembly towards ensuring that airline operators were not squeezed out of business, said the legislature would look into policies affecting the sector while taking into consideration government’s need for enhanced revenue.

“The policies of government at all times should be in tandem to make life better for citizens particularly, and support businesses to grow.

“The aviation industry of course is no exception. Government policies should always be targeted at ensuring this industry prospers.

“I followed the drafting of the FIRS bill particularly, and the aviation sector was missed. We will find out why it was not included.

“But I want to assure you that this Senate and, indeed this National Assembly, would do what is necessary to ensure that you are protected and supported,” he said.
Lawan added:“Any exemption that would help this industry to prosper and survive, the National Assembly will stand by that.

“One thing is very important, we are in a very difficult situation in Nigeria. We need revenue but we also need our government to ensure that in the process of getting more revenue, we don’t kill where those revenues will come from.

“So we need to strike a very decent balance of encouraging industries to create jobs and employment on one hand, and also getting revenues.

“So, I believe that we should do whatever it takes to ensure that you (aviation industry) survive and also prosper.

“And because the dollar rate is changing and especially going up, maybe you require additional expenditures, and that is why government should come in because we shouldn’t allow the burden of this exchange rate to kill our businesses.

“I believe that the aviation industry in Nigeria needs some support.”

Earlier, the Vice President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Allen Onyema, while lamenting the reintroduction of government duties on imported spare parts for aircrafts said that private airlines would have been forced to suspend operations last week due to the high cost.

According to Onyema who also is the Chairman of Air Peace, the return of high duties on imported parts has made it impossible for airlines to undertake clearance of aircraft parts at sea ports and cargo sheds, a situation which poses a risk on the safety of fliers.

He, therefore, appealed to the Senate to incorporate President Muhammadu Buhari’s duty waiver on commercial aircraft and spare parts into the Finance Bill presently before the National Assembly.

“It is not something to be proud of, that in the last 30 years of our lives as a nation, over 50 airlines have gone down. The owners of these airlines succeeded in other business, why have they failed in aviation?

“It could be traced to so many factors, including corporate governance, but most importantly policies. The policies have not been friendly to the growth of aviation.

“The President of this country, Muhammadu Buhari, in his wisdom and avowed determination to encourage indigenous businesses in this country, decided to grant zero duty to airlines for the importation of commercial aircraft and spare parts.

“He equally granted waivers to airlines for imitation of aircrafts or aircraft soared. In the last six years, this has helped airlines in Nigeria,” he said.

He added:“However, just recently, the Customs decided to reintroduce it, even when the President has not revoked his presidential order pronounced at the Federal Executive Council.

“They’ve introduced a clearing that is alien to aviation.

“Sir, I would like to intimate you, that the reintroduction of what the President has granted waivers has made airlines to be groaning.

“Many of these airlines have their spare parts at the sea ports and cargo sheds not being cleared because we don’t have that money to clear them. And we can never endanger the lives of people in this country by flying aircraft that are unsafe.

“The Finance bill is today before the Senate. We will like the intention and will of the President to be incorporated into that Bill, so that it will help going forward, “he said. (NAN)