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N500b remodelling: P’Harcourt Airport still in sorry state
Despite the over N500 billion spent by the Federal Government, the Port-Harcourt International Airport is in a sorry state and needs urgent repairs, President, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Ahmed Illitrus, has said.
Illitrus pointed out that the airport is in a very bad state, despite huge sums of money budgeted towards its renovation and remodeling.
He also stated that except the Federal Government restructures existing laws guiding certain aspects of business operations in the country, particularly in the aviation sector; the Executive Order issued by the Presidency to allow ease of doing business may not be effectively achieved.
He appealed to government to take urgent steps to bring the airport back to life by mandating the contractors in charge to complete the project.
He said: “We cannot continue to keep the airport in this sorry state. For me, there is an engagement; somebody has been commissioned and contracted to do the job. Those contracted to do the job should be called to order. They should be asked to explain why the job has stopped.
“If it is an issue of funding, government has the responsibility to look into it and to direct that necessary things need to be done even in the interim to ensure that, such facility is given a facelift urgently.”
Besides, Illitrus stated that government would have used that period when Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) was shut down for renovation of runway to bring the airport structure to global standard.
He said: “The makeshift facilities to accommodate passengers handling the project is, to say the least, dehumanising and it should not be accepted by anybody. For me, there is an engagement; those who have been contracted to do the job should be called to order. Like I said, because it is something that needs urgent intervention of government, whatever the case, government can even provide the resources for the job to be completed and whatever, reconcile the differences with the contractor.
“The state of PHIA is a national shame. We have one of your sons in charge of Ministry for Transportation. Government can intervene and reconcile the Legal issues thereafter.”
On other aspects of the ease of doing business, Illitrus said that although Nigeria encourages Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), the country has laws, processes that do not provide the necessary assistances, comfort, ease for people to come into Nigeria.
He pointed out that it is difficult to register companies to do business in Nigeria while there are existing laws that are conflicting in nature.
The ATSSSSAN President said: “Like I said severally, Nigeria Investment and Promotion Council (NIPC) Act allows for 100 per cent foreign ownership of business in Nigeria in all sectors of the economy. In the Civil Aviation Act, there is a provision for local content. And the local content says that you must have a majority stake holding in the business by Nigerians. You can see the conflict between the two laws.”
The ATSSSAN leader advised the Federal Government to learn what happens in other jurisdiction, noting that if we want to have foreign direct investment in Nigeria, we must create that enabling environment including rejuvenation of our laws to allow for ease of doing business in our industry.
He said: “The ease of doing business goes beyond the airport as a structure. You know it is all encompassing. Ease of doing business has to do with facilitation of flights, facilitation of business registration into Nigeria. It has to do with infrastructure to support the activities in the airport.”
On viability of airlines, Illitrus enjoined the Nigerian government to imitate what the Ethiopian government has done to Ethiopian Airline.
“There should be 24 hours operations in our airports. Ethiopian Airline enjoys massive subsidy from its government. Again, the Prime Minister pays for any service. There is no interface from government on the management of the airline.” The Nigerian airlines was killed because people had made up their mind to liquidate the airline,” the ATSSSAN leader stated.
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