Short airlines’ lifespan worry Wada, stakeholders
- Carrier’s mortality rate in 11 years stands at 57%
Former Governor of Kogi State, Capt. Idris Wada has tasked stakeholders in the aviation industry to urgently find a stop to the incessant collapse of airlines in the country.
He stated that the survival of airlines would help to revive the aviation sector and boost economic growth.
The former governor of Kogi state, Capt Idris Wada who gave this charge at the dinner and awards at the unveiling of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers’ (NAAPE) compendium of 50 outstanding pilots and engineers in Lagos said, the life span of any domestic airline was too short in the country.
From the foregoing, the mortality rate of airlines in Nigeria within the last 11 years stands at 57 per cent.
This according to the experts is quite alarming because “it means virtually half of the airlines that existed within the period in review have all gone out of business and two of the major airlines exciting today are in receivership.”
Not a few believe that the Federal Government needs to come up with a deliberate economic policy to help grow the aviation sub-sector of the economy.
They noted that Nigeria has huge potential as a country blessed with a natural God-given geographic location at the centre of Africa (4.30hrs to most parts of Africa); with most of its airport at approximately sea level, being the sixth largest producer of crude oil (JetA1), a human population of 190 million, and skilled manpower, yet Nigeria is not a hub for aviation activities on the African continent.
Capt Wada noted that domestic airlines hardly last for more than a decade stressing that there was the need for experts to find the way out of this frequent collapse.
According to the former EAS Airline boss, the aviation industry remained a very consuming endeavour stressing the need for full dedication by stakeholders towards the survival of the industry in the country.
The former Kogi state governor maintained that there was need to continue working hard in the aviation sector saying, that Pilots and Engineers should be doing things according to procedures and courses as a result of their callings and training.
The aircraft pilot thanked the members of NAAPE for putting together the ceremony in recognising pilots and engineers in the industry.
Also speaking, the Minister of State Aviation Hadi Sirika represented by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Capt Fola Akinkuotu said NAAPE has contributed immensely to the development and success of the aviation industry in the country.
Sirika sued for higher commitment in the industry especially from the awardees in order to continue making progress.
While congratulating them on the unveiling of the compendium, Sirika urged NAAPE to continue to work within the law by maintaining standards assuring them of the ministry’s support to succeed.
The Chairman of the occasion Mr Aderemi Makanjuola represented by Capt Josiah Choms Managing Director of Caverton, said the era of confrontation by unions with management of organizations was over as issues were now addressed through dialogue with management.
According to Makanjuola, the integrity of trade unionism must be protected noting that the unveiling of the compendium has shown how far the aviation industry has achieved its feats.
He urged NAAPE to remain focus in order to continue maintaining their position in the industry.
Earlier in his welcome address, the president of NAAPE, Abednego Galadima noted that for over three decades that the association has remained firm in the advocacy for the rights, privileges, and welfare of Nigerian pilots and aircraft engineers on one hand and ensuring professionalism and professional excellence while promoting safety of the industry.
Galadima said Nigerian pilots and engineers have been contributing immensely to the growth and development of the global aviation industry in general and Nigeria in particular.
He said the industry has recorded five accident free years which is evidence that Nigerian pilots and aircraft engineers, who without debate were pillars of the industry.
Galadima however noted that with unity, the increasing rate of unemployment among pilots and aircraft engineers in the country will be overcome.
He announced that NAAPE has instituted an annual aviation safety award for aviation organizations, both public and private aimed at promoting and entrenching safety culture and rewarding safe practices.
