By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
An All Progressives Congress (APC) support group, under the aegis of APC Legacy Awareness and Campaign has said President Muhammadu Buhari administration achieved visible heights in the aviation sector, including upgrade of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).
In a statement titled ‘Aviation Sector Revolution of President Buhari Administration’, which is signed by the Director General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Moh Lukman, former National Publicity Secretary of APC, Lanre Issa-Onilu, the Youths representative in the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Ismail Ahmed, and Tolu Ogunlesi, the group recalled that Buhari, in May 2016, launched its Aviation Roadmap, with the aim of transforming the sector, in terms of safety, infrastructure and economic viability.
It listed the roadmap to include: “the Establishment of a National Carrier, Development of Agro-Allied/Cargo Terminals, Concessioning of the Major International Airports, Establishment of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Center, Establishment of an Aviation Leasing Company, Development of Aerotropolis (Airport Cities), Establishment of an Aerospace University, Designation of 4 International Airports as Special Economic Zones, Upgrade of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).”
The group said since the launching of the Aviation Roadmap, the Ministry of Aviation has focused on implementation, adding that in terms of infrastructure, the new Terminals of the Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kano International Airports, inherited from the previous administration, have been completed, while the new Lagos Terminal is very close to completion.
“Brand new Runways have been constructed at the Abuja and Enugu International Airports, in 2017 and 2020, respectively.
“More than a dozen airports around the country have had Low Level Windshear Alert Systems (LLWAS) installed, to improve flight safety. Investigations revealed that the Sosoliso and ADC plane crashes of 2005 and 2006 respectively were caused by the absence of LLWAS in the airports.
“The Lagos and Abuja Airports have had the Category 3 Instrument Landing System (ILS) installed – which provides the capability for landing safely and accurately in conditions of near-zero visibility. Another 3 Nigerian Airports have been scheduled to benefit this year.
“The Concession process for the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt International Airports – the four main International Airports in the country – is ongoing, with completion of the process scheduled for 2022.”
It said a significant portion of the investment into the Aviation Sector has been focused on resolving issues and bridging gaps inherited from previous Administrations, observing that one example is the payment of pensions owed to staff of the defunct Nigeria Airways.
APC LAC said President Buhari approved that the backlog of almost twenty years be cleared, and has released funds to this effect, adding that the reconstruction of the Runways in Abuja and Enugu were also long overdue, but neglected by previous governments, hence investments that should have been made over the decades are now finally being made.
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