AS Nigeria
hosts International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, President Muhammadu
Buhari, yesterday, said he was under serious pressure from Nigerians to
establish a national airline.
Buhari also
reiterated the determination of his administration to speed up the improvement
of aviation infrastructure in the country for the benefit of the country’s
economic development. The president spoke as Minister of State for Aviation,
Hadi Sirika, said the country would benefit greatly from investment inflow
after the meeting, which started, yesterday, in Abuja. Speaking while receiving
the President of ICAO, Muyiwa Aliu, at State House, Abuja, yesterday, Buhari
told his guests that he was under tremendous pressure from many patriotic
Nigerians to establish a national carrier. “I equally support a national
airline for both patriotic and economic reasons. We have enough trained
citizens, including pilots and engineers. But Nigerians need to know how we
lost the one we had before,” he said, referring to the defunct Nigeria Airways.
Buhari declared his total support and commitment to work with regulatory
agencies in the aviation sector to make air travel safer throughout the
country. According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President, who received
three awards recently won by Nigeria from ICAO, expressed delight with the high
ranking accorded Nigeria in safety and security at the nation’s airports,
following measures put in place to address gaps in airport security. The
statement further stated that Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who led
the ICAO delegation, informed President Buhari that the Nigeria was hosting the
meeting of International World Aviation Forum in Abuja, adding that it was the
first time such a conference would hold anywhere outside Montreal, Canada. He
said over 40 aviation ministers and representatives from 70 countries, World
Bank, African Development Bank, manufacturers of aircraft and aviation
equipment will attend this year’s conference focusing on “Financing Development
of Aviation Infrastructure.” In an interview with the State House
correspondents after the closed-door meeting with President Buhari, Sirika,
said: “The purpose of this forum is to connect needs and sources of financing
for member states. “Nigeria will not be left behind. There is World Bank,
Boeing, Airbus, African Development Bank, and so on. Nigeria will not sit by.
We will take advantage of the opportunity to close some deals if we can or at
least agree to something and sign some Memorandum of Understanding regarding
not only the national carrier but financing of others infrastructural needs of
the country.” “This is very important to us and we are grateful to ICAO for
agreeing to host the forum in Nigeria. We will make sure we make, progress
before we depart. “We have been working since we came, Aviation is beyond
robust airport or carrier, there is a lot more. What is more important show
safe you take off from one point and land safely on the other point. “The Civil
Aviation Centre Zaria is now called Nigeria Aviation College of Technology, has
become regional, center of excellence, one of the best in the world, not more
than 20of their kind around the world. This is a plus for this administration
that we took it there. “For the first time ever Nigeria has certified two of
its airports: Abuja and Lagos according to the standards and the recommended
practices of International Civil Aviation Organisation. For me this is a great
achievement.” Also speaking on the benefits Nigeria will derive from hosting
the meeting, President of ICAO Council,
Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, said:
“Nigeria will benefit in terms of infrastructure development and the
fact that you have the heads of IATA, which is an association of airlines
transit international, the Civil Air Navigation Services Association,
manufactures like Boeing and of course financing institutions- the World Bank.
“There will be an inflow of private sector investment in the sector not only
for airport infrastructure but air navigation as well as capacity building. So,
there are significant benefits Nigeria will reap from the event. It will help
Aviation develop more rapidly because it is so important for social economic
integration not only of nigeria but in the African region. “Aviation is a
catalyst for social economic development and there is a lot of benefits to
derive downstream from aviation.” The Secretary General of the African Civil
Aviation Commission, Iyabo Shoshina, said the country could use aviation as
catalyst for growth. She stated that countries like Ghana, Togo, Rwanda, and
Ethiopia are using aviation to develop their economy. On his part, the Vice President, African Development
Bank, AfDB, Pierre Guislain, who is the Vice President
for private sector infrastructure and industrialization, said: “West and
Central Africa are the worst connected regions in Africa and probably in the
world. “So there are specific challenges here that we are keen to meet and to
help other African and international stakeholders meet.”
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