Don't Miss


Home   >   Business   >   Industries   >   Aviation   >   El-Rufai canvasses favourable policies to uplift local airlines

El-Rufai canvasses favourable policies to uplift local airlines

By on March 8, 2016

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai has called on the federal government to adopt policies geared towards boosting the growth of indigenous airlines.

Specifically, the governor said such policies should be favourable to the local operators by reducing heavy financial burden on them and enabling them to operate profitably.

He noted that the aviation sector is a key aspect of the transportation system that requires all the support of government

El-Rufai made the call at the weekend during an inspection tour of Arik Air facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.
The governor said he was in Arik to thank the management for operating in Kaduna state and to request that the airline increases its flights frequency to the state.

He said the state has a huge traffic as many businessmen and government officials are always stranded because of non-availability of enough flights connecting people from the state to other parts of the country, adding that his administration was trying to improve the business environment that would lead to creation of more jobs for the state.

“Transportation is important. The federal government is aware of that and we need to all advocate for the creation of appropriate policy environment for the growth of the transportation industry and aviation is a key part of that inter- modal system of transportation. The government is aware and it would do the right thing,” El-Rufai said.

The governor, who expressed satisfaction with the facilities at Arik, said: “I did not know that things were very organised like this. It is giving a bit of confidence that when I am flying Arik, I’m in good hands.”

Deputy Managing Director of Arik Air, Capt. Ado Sanusi, who received the governor, promised that the airline would soon increase the number of flight on the Kaduna route.

He said the challenge facing the airlines was infrastructural decay at most of the airports and urged government to provide landing aids to enable flights operate in the night to some airports, including Kaduna.

Sanusi said the aim of Arik was to connect every part of the country by providing efficient, safe and effective flight connections across the airports, adding that the airline was dedicated to serving Nigeria and Nigerians.

With over 100 flights a day on the domestic routes and many operations on the West and Central Africa along with flights to international destinations, Sanusi said Arik Air is contributing significantly to the development of the country as a national flag carrier.

 

[ThisDay]