The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday urged the Federal Government to appoint governing boards in all aviation parastatals to ensure effective service delivery.

The newly-elected NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the call at a meeting with Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) in Lagos.

He said that the establishment of governing board in the parastatals would help ease the challenges facing the sector.

“One of the ways in solving the challenges facing the aviation sector in Nigeria is the establishment of governing boards across the aviation parastatals.

“Every parastatal needs a governing board to help in taking key decisions that will impact aviation; so, since there ain’t any board across, it is impacting negatively on the sector.

“An interim board isn’t the same thing as having a board because it has been over eight years. So, I don’t understand why a permanent board hasn’t been established.

“This step is critical for the improvement of key factors in the aviation which will translate to rapid improvement in the sector,” he said.

Ajaero reiterated the importance of the country having its own national carrier to boost its image.

He noted that the process of establishing a national carrier should follow due process to ensure its smooth operation.

Ajaero also said that the concession of airports across the country would not be visible without the establishment of governing boards.

“The nation must have a national carrier as this will help the image of the country; but in carrying out the process to establish the carrier, all due process must be followed.

“We can’t keep having foreign airlines operate in our airports. To ensure that we have our own carrier, we must follow the right process to ensure its smooth take off and operation.

“Also, it is important to note that concession of airport must be done with governing boards in aviation parastatals as they are crucial in taking key decisions; anything done other than this is I llegal,” he said.

The NLC president further said that unions in the aviation sector were not illegal, noting that the unions were established to protect the interest and welfare of staff.

He advised aviation unions to merge into one, saying that the emergence of several unions in the sector prevented a united front.

He assured the public that the NLC would perform its duties diligently.

“We assure Nigerians that we will ensure that we serve them to their best interest.

“It isn’t going to be easy because there will be several challenges but we will adopt the best strategy to ensure that we perform our duties well,” Ajaero said.

The General Secretary, ANAP, Saidu Rasaq, commended the NLC on its visit and urged the congress to help facilitate the condition of service for airport workers

By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari in Addis Ababa met with Girma Wake, Ethiopian Airlines Board Chairman, during which they exchanged views on the operationalization of Nigeria Air.

Wake  had requested a resolution of the legal obstacle halting Nigeria Air, which Ethiopian Airlines has 49% stake, from commencing operations.

He also requested the repatriation of the airline funds trapped in the country over foreign exchange challenges.

On Nigeria Air, President Buhari told the Board Chairman   that it was a ‘weighty decision’ by the Nigerian government to re-launch a national carrier, expressing confidence that ‘‘things will be alright.

He said the airline and its partners are ready to commence operations on Nigeria Air as soon as all the court matters are resolved.

Wake , who met with President Buhari on the margins of the 36th AU Summit, said the airline has been treated very well in Nigeria since it started operations 60 years ago in the country.

‘‘Nigeria is not just a market but a hub for aviation in Africa. Nigeria is a special country and nobody travels more around the globe than Nigerians,’’ he said.

The aviation chief, who was accompanied on the visit by Mesfin Tasswe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines and Daniel Abebe, Group Vice President Strategic Planning and Alliances, hinted that the airline had plans to expand operations in the country, with additional daily flight services to Lagos from Addis Ababa, as well as Abuja-Addis Ababa. 

By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday approved a whopping N15.1 billion for projects in the Ministry of Aviation, and roads construction in the Ministry of Works and Housing in some parts of the country.

This was disclosed to State House correspondents by the Minister of Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika and his counterpart in the Ministry of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa yesterday in Abuja.

Sirika said the sum of N10,081,177,338.31 billion was approved in the memorandum for the three items we presented for projects in the aviation sector.

One of which is the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Hadejia airstrip at the total sum of N7,482,071,196.56 billion awarded to Messrs CCECC for a period of 18 months, he said.

The minister also explained that “there is the construction or Control Tower and Technical Building in Enugu awarded to Mssrs Mascot Associates Limited at the cost of N1,973,606,141.75 billion, and the third contract is for procurement of utility vehicles, to Mssrs Kaura Motors at the sum of N625,500,000 million; bringing the total cost of the contracts to N10 billion”.

Also yesterday, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved an additional N1.6 billion being augmentation sum for Manyam-Ushongo-Lessel-Kartyo-Oju-Agila road project in Benue State.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Mohammed said that the initial cost of the project was N1.35 billion which was reviewed to N2.9 billion.

“The Minister of Works and Housing presented one of the memos which was an approval for the revised estimated total cost of contract of rehabilitation for the construction of Manyam-Ushongo-Lessel-Kartyo-Oju-Agila in Benue State.

“The contract for this road was actually awarded first in 2012; due to whatever reason, it is still not completed; and of course, if the contract was awarded in 2012, 10 years later, you expect the contractor to ask for augmentation. And that’s what happened today, it was approved.

“The original contract was N1.35 billion is now being augmented with an additional N1.6 billion; so the sum total is N2.9 billion,” he said.

He said that the second memo that was approved for the ministry had to do with the Mabuchi headquarters of the Ministry of Works and Housing.

According to him, the ministry headquarters does not depend or rely on the national grid for its power because it relies on solar grid.

“And the memo today was to seek approval for the estimated total cost of the contract for the design and installation of solar power plus micro grid system and energy litrofitting of the ministry.

“Sometimes in March 2019, a contract was awarded for the provision of a solar power that would power the entire ministry; it was awarded at the cost then for about N2.7 billion.

“Now, they are seeking for an augmentation of N309 million to bring the total cost to N3 billion.

“The reason for the augmentation is that in the process of executing the project certain works which were not anticipated before were to be taken into consideration.

“And in addition, this augmentation also includes a maintenance contract of the installation.”

Mohammed said it was pertinent to note that the Federal Government was diversifying its sources of energy.

“And this is clean energy and the minister threw an invitation to any ministry that wants to go solar that they will provide the advice for them,” he said.