The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has led a team comprising officials of the Ministry, agencies and organized labor in the aviation industry on an inspection tour of two successfully concessioned airports.
This is contained in a statement signed on Tuesday by Mr. James Odaudu, Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Affairs.
According to Sirika, the tour is part of an effort to ensure transparency, inclusiveness, and sincerity in the airport concession program to choose the right model.
Sirika stated the essence of the visit was to dispel all doubts and suspicion regarding the sincerity of the Federal Government with respect to the concession program and to reassure labor of the inherent benefits of the program.
The minister said that the choice of the two airports was based on their popularity, size, and their success stories in concession.
Sirika further said that the achievement of the two airports being visited would serve as a guide on the concession model and contribute to the successful delivery of the program in Nigeria.
He maintained that Government is determined to sustain principles of transparency and accountability which had been the hallmark of the process from inception till the final delivery of the project in the country.
According to him, the two airports presented his team with visual stories of their transition and the positive impact of their concessions.
“The team that visited the Istanbul Airport in Turkey and the Brasilia Airport in Brazil with the Minister included the Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Captain Alkali Modibbo, the Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Matthew Pwajok, the Transaction Adviser on Airport Concession, Dr. Abba Ibrahim, and the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Michael Ohiani.
“The Senior Technical Assistant to the Minister, Yusuf Anas, Special Assistant to Minister on Administration, Ahmed Sanusi, Secretary-General of the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Saidu Abdulrazak, Secretary-General of NUATE, Ocheme Abah, and Adenike Adesola (Cabin Service Supervisor).“
