From Suleiman Idris, Lagos
The failure of the Ministry of Aviation to go ahead with the completion of airport terminal projects and facilities for export of fresh cargo in Nigeria has attracted criticisms from National Conference committee on transport.
The Committee on transport affirmed that after its closed door meetings with top officials of the ministry, it observed “there is lack of coordination and synergy to carry through the ongoing projects located at various airports in the country.”
Also,Chairman of the National Conference Senate Committee, Senator Musa Adede disclosed that having listened to the presentation of the Permanent Secretary Dr. Jamila Shu’ara noted the intention to abandon the projects because “it looks as if there is no synergy between the parastatals.”
Senator Adede said the Aviation Master Plan realisation needs coordination from the Ministry, which is now under the management of Permanent Secretary as the chief financial officer.
The Senate Committee pointed out that the projects have been slowed down and work had stopped at some of them, except at the five international terminals being built by Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu, which are on concession arrangement.
Last Tuesday the Committee invited the Ministry of Aviation, the aviation agencies and Aerotropolis Nigeria. The CEO of Aerotropolis Nigeria, Dr Daniel Tarka made his presentation, while the Aviation Parastatals and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation attended the sessions attended on Thursday.
One of the officials at the session told our reporter that “It was obvious from the comments of the Chairman, Senator Musa Adede that there seems to be a general lack of cohesion and synergy in the operations of the Ministry and its agencies. At the end of the gruelling interactive sessions, members of the Committee told the Permanent Secretary that for the full benefits of the aviation Master plan to be realised, a proper policy and regulatory framework has to be adhered to, particularly if private sector driven programmes like the Aerotropolis Development and Fresh Produce Schemes have to work,”
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