The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has stated that Safety critical infrastructure is the focus of this administration as a government.
Speaking in an interview at the Airport Council International, ACI Africa Conference in Lagos on Monday, Senator Sirika said the passengers may not see some of these critical safety infrastructures which ensure that air transportation is very safe and secure so that passengers will be able to depart at point A and arrive at point B safely and securely.
The Minister noted that this is much important for them than having fantastic edifices around as airports.
He stated further that the government is providing infrastructural upgrade at the nation’s airports and also working to reduce capital flights.
In the words of the Minister: “It is important and extremely important to have the air conditioners and those things working, you have to depart and arrive safely first before you enjoy those things. While we are attending to those deficits in-terms of infrastructure, we are also doing more than we are doing in those things you don’t see and these are safety critical infrastructures. To be able to navigate, to be able to have your aircraft secured when airborne, to be able to get the air planes safely by taking off and landing safely and I think we have done very- very well. In fact all we are doing in the road map, you will see the result , we are attracting the entire world, we held the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO World Forum in Abuja, we also held the remotely aircraft piloted conference in Abuja and now we are holding the ACI in Lagos, this is a testimony that the world is in agreement with what we are doing and we are very delighted to note so and those that came to Nigeria for the ACI has attested that we are on the right track.”
On the planned concession of the Murtala Muhhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Sirika said the concession advisors have turned in their outline business case, adding that “we are now developing the full business case, so it will be very, very soon, sooner than expected.”
Sirika said the country will also like to seek the input of the ACI World president, Angela Gittens on its road map on airport concession.
He said Nigeria will collaborate with member states of ACI to improve on aviation in the country and Africa.
