Aviation Road Map Makes Complete Circle as FEC Approves Leasing Firm, Procurement of N3.04bn Equipment- Hadi Sirika
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L-R: Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to Government of the Federation, and Professor Yemi Oluleke Osibajo, Vice President, VP, at the Extra-Ordinary FEC meeting presided by the VP. Photo: Tolani Alli
The Aviation Minister has clinched the approval of a princely sum of N3.04bn for the procurement of taxi lighting systems for airplanes landing in Port Harcourt, Lagos, and Abuja airports, at a total cost of N3,047,127,022.72k.
According to the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, the approval which came after the ratification of the procurement proposal by the Extra-Ordinary Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday, 15TH May 2023, included the approval for the procurement of photometric pattern machines for the three airports.
The visibly excited minister also announced to the Press Corps at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, that, the FEC had approved another major chunk of the aviation roadmap document for the aviation sector, by the ratification of a leasing company that would enable existing investors who may wish to expand their fleet and the new ones making entry, to lease equipment at an affordable cost.
Hadi Sirika addressed the Press Corps thus, “Today in Council, something very significant happened in the world of civil aviation, part of our roadmap, the aviation leasing company has been established and approved by Council”.
He also added that the full business case for the entire aviation roadmap program had been approved by FEC which will provide the much-needed tailwind for the entire package to fully, and positively impact the nation’s burgeoning aviation industry.
Sirika enthused, “So, I’m glad to see the full business case has been approved by the FEC. So the roadmap is gradually coming to 100% completion. Therefore, entrepreneurs and civil aviation will have access to lease equipment at affordable rates and within our country, Nigeria, and this is part of our roadmap”, said the aviation minister.
The minister on highlighting the details of the contract approved at the extra-ordinary FEC meeting explained that “In this contract, the total sum for the photometric and taxi lighting systems for both airports mentioned is N3,047,127,022.72K, with seven and half percent VAT and 12 months completion period”, Sirika volunteered.
He announced that “The contractor is Messrs KSR3 Global Nigeria Limited. So those are the two memoranda.”
Recall that, in a similar manner over six years ago, approvals were given by the same Federal Executive Council, FEC, for the establishment of a national carrier whose livery could not be designed in Nigeria but somewhere in the United Arab Emirates, UAE, and approval also procured for the concession of the airports, by the FEC, are all yet to see the light of the day, over half a decade along the line.
However, the minister had earlier told aviation journalists in Lagos, during the commissioning of the 18Right runway, that those who were very skeptical of his approach to the existing projects because he did not show any sign of winding up but rather continued to match on the throttle like a captain just completing climbing and now on the cruise, merely gave a simple response that, the government is continuity.
The minister’s instructive response in essence was that government is a continuum. And according to him, when he leaves office, the next government would surely continue all the lofty programs presently being vigorously pursued without any exit or terminal date in view.
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So long as the airports concession and the establishment of national carrier approved by the FEC years ago has not been successfully implemented by the outgoing MoA couple with so many unaccomplished projects. The latest announcement by the minister of the FEC approval of humongous sums of funds should have been a compliment of the FEC previously approved projects for the progressive development of the aviation industry in the country. But those missed steps were visible minus experience of the outgoing government due to lack of political will in moving the country aviation industry forward that has now become albatross of the in coming administration.