C M Y K 14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 Lagos airpor port t runway y 18L/36R almost t 90% ready — FAAN THE Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has disclosed that the 2.7 kilometres (2,700m) long 18 Left 36 Right ( 18L/36R) Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, domestic runway is almost 90 percent ready. This came as the authority noted that it intends meeting the targeted 90 days deadline but would rather delay and do a thorough job instead. Speaking during the inspection works on the Runway, the Managing director of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, noted that apart from the MMA, FAAN is working and upgrading virtually all airports under its purview. Recall that FAAN on July 7 closed the Murtala Muhammed Airport Runway 18L for the installation of installation of approach lights, Runway Lights (Threshold and Centre, edge light and others will be installed so that runway 18L/ 36R returns to full 24/7 operations. This was after the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, in March 2022 succeeded in getting another N3,523,592,079bn approval for safety-critical projects of the Ministry of Aviation as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, approved the sum of N3,523,592,079bn for two different major projects on facilitation and airfield lighting. It was reported that of the total amount approved, the sum, N2,329,961,099.60 was for the supply and installation of airfield ground lighting for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and also the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. However, Yadudu said: "So far, I think we have done about 90 percent of the project. We are on schedule and remember we are very optimistic but if anything would make it be delayed, I would boldly make it delayed. I'd rather have a good job concluded, safely. Stories by Prince Okafor Aviation is not about quick fixes it's about long term fixes. "For 12 years, this is not working but now you're getting it in a few hours, what is the problem. The bottom line is we are ok target up to this moment but anything that will hinder and we are sure has to do with the safety, we will not hesitate that is our primary responsibility but so far there is none. And we are committed, this is my 10th visit and there are people here daily, monitoring, supervising. Aviation: Nigeria’s cargo traffic low amidst massive global demands •Massive demands from China, others for our products •FG, regulatory bodies stall cargo business — Stakeholders LAUNCH: From left: Airport Assistant Supervisor, Asky Airline, Mr. Okoro Christopher; Operation Manager, Good NewsTravelsTour Limited, Mr. Solomon Olowo; Country Manager, Nigeria AskyAirline, Mr. Simon Mobolaji; General Accounts Manager, Bon VoyageTravel, Ms. Nnenna Oti-Kalu; Sales Executive- South Nigeria, AskyAirline, Mr. Yakubu Shobowale and Head Corporate Sales DestinationManagement, Wakanow, Mr. Gbenga Onitilo, during the Asky AirlineTrade Forum with Partners and Launching into Johannesburg, SouthAfrica held in Lagos on Tuesday. Photo Lamidi Bamidele DESPITE the massive demand for Muhammed Airport Two, ranked fifth provide information on where things Nigeria’s goods globally, the in Africa, as it handled only 204,649 are being produced, the market and country’s cargo traffic remains low tonnes of goods in 2021 as against service providers capable of utilising among the top African airports Jomo Kenyatta International Airport these opportunities. ranking by freight traffic. which tops the list with over 363,204 They argued that they have always Nigeria has one of the most nutritious tonnes of cargo in the same year. made assets available for traders in fruits in the world but demand and A total of 2.15 million metric tons of the last 40 years, but the federal supply are not meeting at the moment, cargo transited through African government and the regulatory bodies with China, India, and some Europe airports, representing around 1.7 per have not really been involved in the countries seeking these products. cent of the global cargo volume. process. According to the Airports Council However, stakeholders have faulted the International, ACI, Nigeria Murtala Federal Government's inability to Air Peace Embraer 195-E2 in static display in Kigali AIR PEACE debut its E195-E2, its largest commercial aircraft, at Aviation Africa 2022, in Kigali, Rwanda, yesterday. The aircraft, belonging to Air Peace Limited, Nigeria's largest airline, is one of five units currently in operation with the airline. The E2 is helping Air Peace achieve its ambition of connecting not just all of Nigeria, but the whole of the African continent, while feeding long-haul flights from its Lagos hub. The E195-E2, the quiestest and most efficient single aisle aircraft flying today, saving up to 25% carbon dioxide emissions compared to previous generation aircraft, has 124 seat capacity in a typical dual class configuration, offering more space, privacy and comfort. The aircraft was displayed on the static apron at Kigali International Airport for VIPs and dignitaries attending the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition to tour the aircraft. Jet A1 hike: Ibom Air cancelled 54 flights in August WITH over 858 scheduled flights for the month of August, 2022, Ibom Air, stated that 54 flights were cancelled due to non-availability of Aviation Kerosene, popularly known as Jet A1. Ibom Air, a limited liability company wholly owned by the Akwa Ibom state government, currently operates seven aircraft, with a further 10 to be added by May 2023 to cater for African routes. The company in its scorecard report for August, noted that it was able to operate only 804 flights of the total flight scheduled during the period. While 179 flights were delayed beyond 15 minutes due to some logistic challenges, 350 flights were rescheduled during the period. The report noted that the company recorded 53 percent schedule reliability, and 78 percent on time performance in the month of June. Why FG must establish bank of aviation now — Prof Kila THE Director, Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies, CIAPS, Prof. Anthony Kila in this interview with Prince Okafor, advised the Federal Government to set up an Aviation Bank to salvage the ailing domestic airlines. He also established some key factors why airlines in LOOKING at thecurrent challenge, how can the sector be salvaged? With the present situation, it is not enough to have aviation funds from government or aviation desks in commercial banks anymore. It is time to think of "activating an aviation bank that will raise and manage funds and offer niche financial products for the aviation industry. With over 20 years in the industry, I can knowledgably confirm that luckily, aviation is not a pauper's business. Hence, finding depositors and shareholders will not be an insurmountable problem for capable promoters, but the political will is needed. In the spirit of rethinking of and resting aviation, operators need to go beyond flying or selling and distributing tickets. Massive demands stalled Speaking at the just concluded second Aviation and Cargo Conference 2022, CHINET, in Lagos, Chisco Logistics, Chief Executive Officer, Obinna Anyaegbu, noted that it is very important for everyone in the industry to play their role, as they are not to play all roles. He said: “We need more African products. We need patriotism. People are moving out of Nigeria yet we have very good soil to plant and harvest. “We have these products but we lack markets for these products. Chinese people want to eat our bananas, plantain and pineapples. We have one of the most nutritious fruits in the world but demand and supply are not met at the moment. “We plan to bridge this gap as a company. We have always made assets available for traders and this is what we have done for the last 40 years. But government and the regulatory bodies have to be involved. “We have seen aviation investments go bad, so if we have to do this in the aviation sector, we want to ensure we do this correctly with the government parastatals and traders that have contracts for supply in Europe and other parts of the world. “There are cargo planes and passenger bellies that go out of Nigeria empty. But there are also rotten fruits in the farm. So at the moment, there is a gap. So we are trying to consolidate and see how we can play in this regard. We are a logistic solution. “When you look at Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, about 10 to 13 percent of the GDP is from the •Prof. Kila It is time to represent their challenges as rewarding opportunities to capable innovators, inventors and investors. Maintenance of equipment, refining of aviation fuel, training and development of human capital, and other problems that are adversely affecting the sector, can be thrown open to the market as opportunities for players outside the aviation sector. To do all these and much more, requires the ability to conceive, shape and propose Logistics sector because this is about commerce and production. We eat and drink every day and things have to move around. “We need to pay for logistics. Nigeria's logistics market is about $60 billion market. If you say our GDP is between $500 to $600 billion market, so 10 percent of this or more amounts to $60 billion. “For now, we try to gather information to enable us to bring in assets. We want to bring in assets but it has to be in the right way. We have to see off-takers and agree on what the products are. “We do not see the products. We have actually ventured into the market. We have leased an airplane two years ago, doing Lagos-Accra when our vehicle service was down. Because every single day we move from Lagos to Accra by bus and trucks. “But when COVID-19 hit, we leased an airplane because we had no goods to move. It was a 14-tonne 737 airplane and we were struggling to get two tonnes in a week. We saw that the biggest player on the route was DHL and they were bringing about 70 to 80 tonnes into Nigeria and moving it across West Africa. “So it is mostly imported goods that are moving via the African routes. Kenya is taking out a lot and they have a great supply contract. They meet the international standards.” Also, the President of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, Alex Nwuba, noted that, “We call them cargo airports but they are just airports. They just have that name cargo because they are built by State governments but it doesn't mean that we can't take advantage of that structure. “The comparative advantage is where these airports exist. Anambra has a strategy for producing agricultural products and vegetables for domestic and international markets. You cannot move this by road. The airport will be useful to achieve this." rewarding and sustainable partnership between the public and private sectors. Aside enhancing safety in the industry, for the sake of consumers and citizens, operators should be working as a clearing house for delayed or stranded passengers. They should ensure that stranded passengers of delayed and cancelled flights could fly with the next available flights. This is just as debit and credit card holders issued by one bank can easily withdraw money from the Automated Teller Machine, ATM of any available bank. The government, through the presiding ministry and its regulating agencies in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance need to champion the case of aviation. What can airlines do differently? Airlines need to start stronger, they need very big capital and they need to develop as a concern of a consortium rather than as individuals. To be sustainable, they might need to charge fees in dollars instead of in naira, they need to spend more capital on human development so that they can get the right skills. They also need partnership with government and other sectors of the economy.
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 —15
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