Aviation Executive Calls For Review Of Bilateral Air Agreement

An aviation executive and Chief Executive Officer of African Aviation Services, Mr Nick Fadugba, has called for the review of Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).
He has also called on the Federal Government to consult with indigenous carriers before allowing frequencies as they are treated like oil blocks.
Fadugba who made the call while speaking to aviation correspondents on Wednesday, also lamented that the Nigeria carrier passenger traffic has reduced from 60 per cent to 20 per cent in the last 25 years.
According to him, aviation is a vital catalyst for economic growth and social advancement of Africa, and should be tapped into.
He urged Nigerians to provide more support to the growth of aviation industry, which according to him, is a tool for economic development.
He said that aviation sector in Nigeria, if properly harnessed, could become one of the keys to Nigeria’s future prosperity and urged the government to key into it.
Fadugba also decried the situation where over 90 per cent of international air traffic to and from Nigeria is carried by foreign Nigerian airlines.
According to him, the situation has caused damage to the economy of Nigeria in several ways including huge capital flight from Nigeria, continued deterioration of the Nigerian aviation industry and the loss of aviation employment opportunities.

By: Corlins Walter