The Aviation Ground Handling Association of Nigeria (AGHAN) has canvassed for duty waivers, a special window for foreign exchange and other incentives for ground handling companies in the country especially as challenges facing the sector gets deeper.
Equally, the association said it has so far achieved over 60 per cent success in the implementation of the new safety threshold handling rate approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in the last quarter of 2021.
Speaking in Abuja during the courtesy visits to the Director-general of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu and his counterpart at the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Mr Akin Olateru respectively, the Chairman of AGHAN, Mr Olaniyi Adigun, lamented that the handling companies needed government supports to remain in business.
Adigun specifically called for customs duty waivers, easy access to forex and other incentives for the handling sub-sector of the economy, saying the handling companies could not be isolated from the echo system of the aviation industry.
The AGHAN chairman decried that due to the recent downturn in the economy occasioned by the fall of naira against major currencies, the handling companies were struggling to acquire modern Ground Support Equipment (GSE) to augment their services.
He posited that the approval of a special window for forex and removal of customs duties for the handlers would further ensure safety in the sector as funds saved from these would be expended on training, retraining, attraction and retention of quality personnel for the sub-sector.
On the approval and subsequent implementation of the new safety threshold handling rate for the handling companies, Adigun noted that the handlers had achieved over 60 per cent implementation.
On the other 40 per cent, Adigun said serious negotiations were ongoing with them to comply with the directive and expressed hope that they would comply very soon.
While lauding Nuhu and Olateru for their contributions in achieving the new safety threshold handling rate by the handlers, Adigun declared: “This is the first time in my years in the aviation industry that I will see a true change in the handling sub-sector in Nigeria. In the past, the engaged in unhealthy competition, which unfortunately worked against us, but today, we are seeing some changes.
“However, some of the African airlines are yet to comply with this directive. But, serious negotiation was ongoing between them and us. One thing we want them to know is that this new safety threshold handling rate is for their benefit as we will be able to acquire more modern equipment that we will use to serve them.
“We want to thank you specifically (Nuhu and Olateru) for your support on how far we have gone on this project. Without you, we couldn’t have gone this far. We are also promising you that some of the money generated from this would be used for increased delivery services to our clients.”
In his response, Nuhu said that the handling companies were part of the aviation safety chain, even though, their critical activities were not known to air travellers.
The NCAA boss declared that without the ground handling companies, the echo system may be compromised, maintaining that the regulatory agency would work for the continuous entrenchment of air safety in Nigeria.
According to him, the ground handling companies could not be insulated from the challenges in the industry, stressing that the neglect of one of the chains could lead to an accident.
He said: “Aviation is an echo system and if one of the systems doesn’t function well, the others become useless. Whatever each component does, it must go round. The success of the industry is everyone’s success.
“If we concentrate on airlines alone and leave the others, it’s an accident waiting to happen. If everyone does his or her job, there won’t be any problem. I have seen an accident caused by a cleaner of an aircraft. The cleaner only forgot to remove a tape from the aircraft and it led to the death of over 200 people.”
In his comment, Olateru expressed excitement about the success of AGHAN, describing the ground handling companies as a critical aspect of the aviation industry.
He challenged the handlers to carry out self-audit of their infrastructure and personnel to reduce the number of airside accidents associated with ground handling.
Also, Mr Ahmed Bashir, the Vice-Chairman, AGHAN, said that the formation of the association was to enhance safety in the industry, stressing that a staff who is not well-motivated was an accident waiting to happen.
Mrs Boma Ukwunna, Public Relations Officer, AGHAN, said that the ground handling companies would consistently support the government in increasing security and safety in the industry.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…
[ICYMI] Lekki Shootings: Why We Lied About Our Presence — General Taiwo
The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the killings at Lekki Toll Gate, on Saturday resumed viewing of the 24hrs footage of the October 20, 2020 shooting of #EndSARS protesters by personnel of the Nigerian Army…
ICYMI: How We Carried Out The 1993 Nigerian Airways Hijack —Ogunderu
On Monday, October 25, 1993, in the heat of June 12 annulment agitations, four Nigerian youngsters, Richard Ajibola Ogunderu, Kabir Adenuga, Benneth Oluwadaisi and Kenny Razak-Lawal, did the unthinkable! They hijacked an Abuja-bound aircraft, the Nigerian Airways airbus A310, and diverted it to Niger Republic. How did they so it? Excerpts…
Sahabi Danladi Mahuta, a community mobiliser and APC chieftain. Mahuta spoke to select journalists at the sidelines of an Islamic conference in Abuja recently. Excerpts…
and then