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FG to support domestic operators with 30 new aircraft

By on January 3, 2013

General Manager Mr Yakubu Dati

The Federal Government has concluded all arrangements to acquire 30 aircraft to enhance safer and valued aviation operation within the country.

This development was disclosed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s (FAAN) Corporate Communications General Manager Mr Yakubu Dati during an inspection tour at the renovated Benin Airport.

Dati said all arrangements have been made to disburse funds, which according to him will be sourced partly from the aviation intervention fund.

He said the government’s former practice of giving airline operators money to buy aircrafts will no longer hold. The Federal government will buy and distribute the airlines to operators.

Adding, Dati said operators mismanaged the funds given to them to procure aircrafts; some of them even get substandard aircrafts.

He said the aircrafts procurement will be funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in conjunction with the Bank of Industry (BoI).

His Words: “I also want to say at this point that the issue of assisting domestic carriers has been uppermost on the mind of the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

“And that is why the issue of the removal of tariffs and taxes on aviation spare-parts was done by Mr. President.

“This is to help the airlines operate profitably and also make it more attractive for investors because spare-parts are the major cost component on the aviation sector.

“The minister of aviation is also making plans to bring in about 30 aeroplanes to be able to assist local airlines. “ Therefore, with all these, we believe that eventually, we will now have cheaper tickets and by the time, we have cheaper tickets, there will be higher traffic.

“Because if you cut the cost of doing business, then the person doing the business has no reason but to also cut the cost of running it because we believe that one hour flight in Nigeria shouldn’t cost more than N10, 000 or N15, 000. “

And the whole idea is to make the business cheaper and easier to operate so that Nigerians who are the ultimate beneficiaries should be the passengers and they should board with cheaper tickets,” he said.

“The Benin Airport was in a very bad shape before President Jonathan came on board, it then becomes one of the 11 airports modernized in the country”, he said.

On abandoned aircrafts, Dati said, the Federal Government was not going to sit back and watch Nigerian airports littered with spoilt aircrafts, saying that an order has been issued to them to move the aircrafts.