Stakeholders in the aviation sector have insisted
that concession of the airport infrastructure may be the only option to drive
growth and for Nigeria to have world standard facility.
The stakeholders said since the last 40 years that
the international terminal of the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMIA) Lagos was
built, there has not been any remarkable improvement in the airport facilities,
remarking that the government has shown that it lacks the vision, discipline
and funds to build modern airport infrastructure as obtained in other parts of
the world.
Speaking during the annual colloquium organised by the
NigeriaTravelsmart.com in Lagos on Thursday, the Chairman, House of
Representatives Committee on Aviation, Nnaji Nnolim, said privatisation reduces
the need for public sector investment; provides access to larger commercial
sectors, and allows airports to diversify services without the fear of
government control and interference.
He said in theory, “this may lead to increased
operational efficiency, as well as create new paid incentives for management
and employees.”
Nnolim said available statistics indicated that
more than 50 per cent of European airports have some forms of private
ownership, with the percentage increasing significantly since 2011.
He noted that consortiums of private companies that
established themselves as airport managers now own most airports in Europe.
According to the lawmaker, "Many countries are
seeking to replicate this model/success. In May, Japan invited the private
sector to submit proposals for the operation and management of seven airports
under a 30 to 35-year concession. The country’s transport ministry is attempting
to leverage on the private sector to promote tourism in the Hokkaido region.
"Elsewhere, Brazil is planning to shut down
its National Airports Authority, and sell its 54 airports to private companies.
It kicked off the ambitious programme last year, raising $D889.08million
through an auction of concessions for four airports."
Nnolim added that sadly in Nigeria, the story has
been one experiment with too many challenges.
He added: "Examining the first experiment we
had in this sector, which was the build, operate and transfer (BOT) arrangement
which the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) entered with Bi-Courtney
Aviation Services at Murtala Mohammed Airport local terminal (MM2), it was been
riddled with controversies leading to many court cases."
Industry consultant and CEO of Belujane Konsult,
Chris Aligbe, said at the event that concession is the only option for Nigeria
to develop airport infrastructure, stating that those who oppose concession
should stop thinking about their personal interest but the ability of the government
to provide jobs for their citizens.
“Concession is very important because if we don’t
concession, we will not have world standard airports in our country. But the
concession must be done transparently. Those who oppose it as workers or union
members should think about this. If I work in a company for 25 years, the government
does not owe me a job, it owes my children jobs. What government owes me is my
entitlement. To create jobs for my children, the private sector should be
allowed to expand airport infrastructure-operate them profitably to create more
jobs,” Aligbe said.
However, the technical board member of Arik Air and
Aero Contractors, Mohammed Magashi, said development of airports is still very
new to the private sector, stressing that it is the responsibility of the government
to develop the airports until they get to a level when they could be given out
in concession.
"I see no economics behind concessioning all
the airports in Nigeria, especially the unviable ones because private sector
wants to make money from it. The government is responsible for airport
infrastructures and it is only when these things are developed that it can
change hands," he added.
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