AVIATION

AFARN tasks Keyamo on compliance with national laws, international obligations

The Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN) has called on the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, to tackle the challenges facing the industry comprehensively, highlighting the importance of safety compliance, infrastructure development and human capacity optimisation.

In a chat with selected journalists in Lagos, President of AFARN, Dr Kingsley Nwokoma, who acknowledged the minister’s proactive approach since assuming office, stressed the importance of the aviation sector to national development.

Nwokoma, who identified AFARN’s focus key areas within the aviation industry to include: the perennial scarcity of aviation fuel, high exchange rates and the resolution of funds owed to foreign airlines, said the association also emphasised the need for the minister’s attention to safety issues, particularly in light of the prevailing insecurity in Nigeria.

The AFARN president underscored the association’s willingness to support the President Bola Tinubu administration in the short, medium and long term, stressing the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to make aviation practice in the country more robust.

Overall, he highlighted AFARN’s supportive stance towards the minister while playing up the pressing issues and collaborative efforts required for the growth and prosperity of the aviation sector in Nigeria.

On the present state of the aviation sector, Nwokoma, said it is customary for AFARN as a body to review the activities in the aviation industry each year and to also set agenda in the new year for “those saddled with enormous responsibility of aviation growth and development which everyone knows is key to national development, as a leading player in the African sub-region.”

“Clearly we are in tone with the appointment of the current aviation minister, Mr. Festus Keyamo, by the federal government who, for months now have assumed office and have also hit the ground running, with a promise to reform the aviation industry, for the common good.

Although, the aviation sector had witnessed avalanche of ministers, with some of them found to promote policies that inhibited growth and discouraged local entrepreneurs. We expect a paradigm shift in the new dispensation given the premium placed on the aviation industry by the federal government.

“We urge the minister to take holistic look at the aviation sub- sector with a view to finding lasting and permanent solution to the perennial scarcity of aviation fuel, currently sold as high as #700 per litre, even more, high exchange rate of the naira to US dollar, resolution of the long standing problems of remittance of funds owed the foreign airlines.

“As safety campaigners also, we want to see in clear terms the manifestation of the minister’s promise on strict compliance with national laws and regulations ; and international obligations, improvement and development of infrastructure for passenger convenience of local Airline Businesses, Human Capacity Development and optimization of Revenue Generation.

“Worthy of mentioning here also is the fact that, the Minister should as a matter of deep concern beam his search light on safety issues, starting from checkmating the influx of those who troops to the airports without genuine business concerns. Although FAAN has remained upbeat in warding off of undesirable elements at the airports but more still needs to be done to avoid safety breach that may not augur well for the country especially this time Nigeria is challenged by insecurity”.

“Without being immodest, AFARN is ever ready to lend it’s support whether in the short, medium and long term to the present administration. Through this auspicious time also, we want to announce that, our Annual Safety Summit shall be coming up early in the year.

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