With the desire to turn around the fortune of the nation’s airports, the Federal Government has reiterated its resolve to partner with the private sector.

Already, the airport concessioning steering committee has began sitting, and have promised to ensure that there is transparency in the discharge of its duties.

The chairman, board of directors of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Ebitimi Banigo, has assured that the concessioning would be pursued with the proper concession of some of the airports and the automation of their facilities to improve on their revenue generation.

He said that this is in accordance with President Umaru Musa Yar’dua’s public private partnership initiative and vision of making Nigeria one of the top 20 industrialised nations by year 20,20.

Banigo, in company of some members of the board, made the position clear at the maiden meeting with representatives of the two industrial unions in the industry, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and the National Union of Air Transport Employees, at the weekend.

The former minister, whose board recently inspected facilities at some of the airports, including those in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt, lamented the poor state of infrastructure, and therefore enjoined the workers to brace themselves for the challenges of PPP, automation and concession, which are global phenomenon that gives credence to the running of commercial operations by the private sector.

The federal government has already slated the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, Kano, Port Harcourt Airport Omagwa, and the Margaret Ekpo Airport, Calabar for concessioning.

“That is why we are charting a new direction with renewed vigour. That new direction, we believe, should be embraced by all stakeholders. The direction engenders great opportunities and possibilities; opportunities to invest, train and build for our today and future”, he stated.

Furthermore, he stated “that is why we are open for business and partnership; we remain unflinchingly committed to our vision of being one of the best airport groups in the world in line with president’s vision 2020″.

Meanwhile the steering committee on concessioning of four international airports set up by the aviation minister, Babatunde Omotoba, commenced work over the weekend when it held a closed-door meeting with the management of FAAN at the headquarters in Lagos.

Chairman of the committee, Dele-Ore at the meeting promised to take all stakeholders in the aviation industry, including industrial unions, into confidence in its deliberations, with a view to making recommendations that would be acceptable to as many interest groups as possible.

He also assured staff of FAAN that their interest would be well taken care of in the proposed airport programme and listed the committee’s term of reference as driving the process of four international airport authority as in the Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Calabar, and that consultants have been appointed to facilitate the concessioning.