Expert Wants Perishable Goods Unit At Airports

An aviation expert and the Managing Director of FCI International Limited, Fortune Idu, has urged the Federal Government to as a matter of policy, establish  a perishable goods unit in all the airports in Nigeria.
He said that this would boost airports’ capacity in the warehousing business, handling and transportation of the perishable cargo through the country and beyond.
Idu, who made this known while speaking to airport correspondents on Wednesday, also urged the government to create the right environment that will encourage the private sector to have confidence in long-term investment.
According to him, private sector investment is key to addressing some challenges in aviation sector, as well as sustaining the process of making Nigeria an international player in the agro and perishable export sector.
“There is also need for the establishment of one stop quality inspection machine along the air logistics chain that allows shippers to access customs, quarantine, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and NAFDAC services for both local and international freighting.
“ We need to promote further development of the Airport Free Trade Zone to strategically drive the perishable air cargo potentials under private public sector agreement”, he stated.
Idu also urged the Federal Ministry of  Aviation to review the air cargo programme of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in order to implement the project under a PPP arrangement.
He added that the introduction of export cargo growing promotion tax incentives should be extended to private investors who want to develop perishable cargo handling centres along the transport corridor.

Corlins Walter