‘Aviation stakeholders urge FG to invest more in safety infrastructure’

Stakeholders in the aviation industry have called on the Federal Government to invest more in safety infrastructure.

This, according to them, will help the industry to grow and contribute more to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

The Managing Director, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, Idris Yakubu, said at the 2018 Summit and Awards of the Association of Foreign Airlines’ Representatives in Nigeria in Lagos on Thursday that in terms of safety infrastructure, the country still had a lot to do, compared with most African nations.

Yakubu, who was represented by the Head of Commercial, NAHCO, Kelechi Amaechi, said with more investments, Nigeria’s aviation would attract tourism.

He added that the government should also begin to focus on internally generated revenues as well as investment in human resources and quality professionals.

According to the acting Managing Director, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, Basil Agboarumi, there is a need to operate safely or risk losing the confidence of investors.

He stated that unsafe practices in the industry would lead investors to other sectors and this would negatively affect not just the industry, but the country’s economy.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said air transport would continue to play a key role in promoting economic activities.

Sirika, who was represented by the Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau, Akin Olateru, noted that the aviation industry was on the path of growth and the government was making concerted efforts to ensure that issues likely to inhibit its steady growth were addressed.

The minister stated, “Despite these efforts, the industry is still faced with myriads of challenges of which finance and safety top the chart, and which the present government is making great efforts to address.

“Aviation, being one of the pillars of global economic trade, points to the fact that by the year 2034, eight of the fastest growing markets in percentage terms will be in Africa, of which Nigeria remains a major force and will thus continue to have a fair share of the growing market regionally.”

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