FG Reassures On Involvement In Aviation Sector

The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has reassured that the Federal Government will not totally hand over airport operations to private investors, so as to ensure  operating  standard.
He said that government no longer has money to invest  into public property   such as airports, but will not also totally relinquish operations to private hands  even though government, as is being acclaimed,  is not good in business.
Sirika, who  disclosed this in an interaction with stakeholders in the aviation sector  in Lagos, recently noted  that aviation is a money spinner, but that  things must be  done right.
The minister explained that the intention of the Federal Government is to concession the airports starting with the big four in order to grow the sector.
“The concessioning of Nigeria’s airports, especially the four big ones, will not only present excellent passenger experience, but will turn the condition of the nation’s gateways around in a year.
“The best way to attract passengers, investors and turn airports into  hubs as they should have been  is to concession them.
“We will not  privatize  them. Government can no longer put money into public property, and the best  way is to concession them because we do not  want to  leave them off totally, and there is no other  way round it, it is concession”, he said.
The Minister, however, agreed that the major setback in the development of the sector in Nigeria, is the inability to lease equipment and carry out major maintenance.