NAN-H-22
Concession
By Solomon Asowata
Lagos, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) A travel and tourism expert, Mr Ikechi Uko, on Tuesday said the logic behind the Federal Government’s plan to concession the four major airports in the country was sound.
Uko, who is the promoter of the Akwaaba African Travel and Tour Market, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
NAN reports that the government had indicated interest to concession the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports toward increasing their capacity and efficiency.
Uko noted that due to the current economic situation, the government had no funds to invest in the airports and called for their concession instead of outright sale.
“Seeing the difference between the General Aviation Terminal and the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2, I am of the opinion that the private sector might do better because there are limitations to how effective government can be.
“Although, I would have preferred having the flagship airport, which is the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, being in the hands of the government for security reasons, but for efficiency I support its concession.
“With the way things operate in Nigeria, the private sector will be able to run the airports better,’’ he added.
Uko also appealed to the government to save the country’s domestic airlines from going under due to their current challenges.
He said: “The airlines cannot save themselves. Most of their challenges are not self-inflicted.
“They didn’t arrange for the currency to collapse, they don’t import aviation fuel and they don’t also handle the distribution of foreign exchange.
“The Federal Government needs to have an aggressive plan on how to revamp the sector.
“I know some people have problems about why should government give money to private businesses but airlines are a strategic part of the economy.
“They are like banks too. So, if government says it did not want the banks to collapse and is able to do that; it should do same for the airlines.
“The government has to find a way to ensure that there are aircraft in the air every day for the sake of the economy because the economy runs on mobility.
“There are different options. Government can give them cash, give them guarantees or pay for some of their loans.
“I don’t know how the government will do it but if the airlines are left on their own, they will not be able to come out’’. (NAN)
ASO/WOJ/PDE
===========
(Edited by Wale Ojetimi and Controlled by peter Ejiofor)