Aviation on right path for sustainable growth

Aviation in half year shows potentials for growth if the framework is sustained. WOLE SHADARE writes that the sector needs consolidation to be on sound footing

Impressive outlook
The half year result in the aviation industry can be described as impressive, although more work still needs to be done to achieve maximum success.
Many of the achievements achieved in the aviation sector wouldn’t have been possible without the Ministerial guidance of former Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika. He ensured stability of the sector unlike what used to be the norm with frequent removal of chief executive officers of many of the agencies’ heads.

One thing that has also worked for the sector, which in no small measure led to stability of the industry, was the careful planning by Sirika, in ensuring that not too much change were made when they assumed office.

Although there are strong indications that some of the agencies’ heads might be relieved of their duties this week or next while those that are coming on-board would meet on ground very good template with which to consolidate should the Federal Government decide to make changes.
Half year 2019 had seen significant improvement and the culmination of the clear path the former Minister who many people has 80 per cent chance of getting the nod a second time to oversee the Ministry of Aviation charted for the sector.

Split
There are chances that President Muhammadu Buhari might separate aviation as a stand-alone ministry unlike the situation where aviation is lumped under the Ministry of Transportation.

Government, despite pressure refused to tinker so much with the personnel they met in the agencies, save for those that they brought into strategic positions in the sector and those they felt were going to add value to a sector a sensitive as the aviation industry.

The Accident Investigation Bureau [AIB] has been the standout agency in the country’s aviation sector and has become the reference point in excellence and service delivery. April this year, the agency released six final accident and serious incident reports that occurred in Nigeria aviation industry between 2012 and 2018.

AIB restores hope
The Bureau also issued 24 safety recommendations that can prevent future accidents and serious incidents.

Among the six reports released were four accidents and two serious incidents, three of which occurred in 2018.

Commissioner, AIB, Akin Olateru, an aircraft engineer, has been doing excellently well since he took over as the agency. He has also restored confidence to the agency and conformed with international best practice.

Just recently, the AIB and Nigeria’s biggest airline were embroiled in a huge face-off over the alleged concealment of serious accident/incidents from the accident investigation body.

Curbing Air Peace excesses
Olateru explained that on June 5, 2019, the Bureau received notification about a serious incident involving a Boeing 737-300 aircraft with Registration Marks 5N-BUK, belonging to Air Peace Limited from a passenger-on-board.

He stated: “The incident occurred on May 15, 2019, while the aircraft was on approach to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos from Port Harcourt. The aircraft was said to have experienced a hard landing, as it touched down on the runway (18R).

“Upon receipt of the notification, he noted that the Bureau visited Air Peace Limited office and confirmed the said occurrence, adding that the agency further conducted a damage assessment on the aircraft, which revealed that the air-craft made contact on the runway with the starboard engine cowling, as obvious from various scrapes, scratches and dents, an evidence of tyre scouring on the sidewalls of the No. 4 tyre. There was also visible damage to the right-hand engine compressor blades.”

But, Air Peace in a swift reaction admitted its failure to report those incidents to AIB. The management of the carrier said it actually reported to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Infrastructure upgrade

In the area of infrastructure, experts commended government for its vision in completing some of the projects started by the administration before it and starting fresh ones to boost airports infrastructure in the country.

Former Commandant, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), said the decision to rebuild the over 40 years Murtala Muhammed International Airport terminal into a modern facility was a welcomed one, arguing that the terminal indeed needed a new structure.

The minster of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had told stakeholders penultimate month that the facility would be brought down to construct another one. Sirika, who said the project would be handled by construction giant, Julius Berger, at the cost of N14 billion, stated that the terminal in use, which was built in 1979, had outlived its usefulness.

The terminal was built to handle 300,000 at inception, but the passengers it handles have grown to eight million in the past three years.

Similarly, the Federal Government has concluded plans to rebuild Enugu International Airport runway, which is caving in.

Sirika disclosed that out of 157 aviation projects the administration set out to achieve, it had completed about 130, noting that the Federal Government was judiciously following the aviation roadmap.

The minister also reiterated that the national carrier project, the leasing company project and the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) programmes were still on, adding that they would be continued in the second term of the Buhari administration.

He said the aviation industry has increased its contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product to $900 billion, but regretted that currently the country does not have strong airlines.

The minster said the President Buhari-led administration would support any domestic carrier that wants to build up its capacity, stressing the need for a national carrier as the answer to the current limited capacity of the airlines.

He said many countries interested in developing air transport industry in Africa establish national airlines to help realise their aviation industry goals.
The minster remarked that there was increase in passenger traffic to over 18 million in 2018, saying that indications showed that it would continue to rise as more Nigerians are used to travelling.

“Nigeria is where the market is and all these airlines that come here are targeting the market in Nigeria, so we have to develop capacity in order to compete and benefit from our huge travel market,” he said.
One area that needs urgent attention, which is less than satisfactory is in the area of airspace communication. The Nigerian airspace has witnessed less than satisfactory communication infrastructure.

In flying, communication is essential. Where a pilot is unable to see what is ahead of him or communicate effectively from airport of departure to the destination airport, the safety of all on board is already in jeopardy. This is where the job of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) comes to play.
This has drastically dwindled due to loss of revenue from over-flier charges, which form the bulk of the agency’s revenue. The paucity of funds has seriously affected the smooth running of the agency. Failure to quickly resolve the issue could further plunge the parastatal further into crisis. NAMA is self-sustaining.
A top official of the agency told this newspaper on condition of anonymity, stated that the communication challenge between pilots and air traffic controllers has made airlines and pilots to rely on neighbouring countries for air traffic navigation because of some ‘black spots’ in the airspace, which the agency is tackling.
Although Nigeria’s airspace black spot has reduced by over 70 per cent, the inability to cover the country’s vast airspace 100 per cent has contributed immensely to avoidance of the airspace by foreign airlines, as they choose to fly longer distances by avoiding it entirely even when the situation does not appear totally bad.

Last line
There is no doubt that Nigeria’s aviation sector, in the half year 2019, looks good and it is hoped that administrators would sustain the tempo to make it a better year for the sector.

Wole Shadare