Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has described the role of stakeholders as a key component of his desire to reposition the aviation sector onto its enviable path where the industry can stand shoulder high with others on the global stage.
The minister made the declaration as he prepares to lead discussions on the aviation conference with the theme, ‘Aviation Survivability Amidst A Challenging Macro-economic Environment.’
The minister, who has confirmed his participation at the forthcoming conference organised by the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC), said: “I have no doubt the deliberations and solutions proffer at the 2024 edition by the array of seasoned experts and stakeholders at this year’s edition will make my job as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development a simple task.”
The minister will be joined at the conference by the chief executives of aviation agencies and key industry personalities and stakeholders to rub minds on how to wriggle the aviation sector out of its current challenges.
The forum, the 28th edition of the annual conference of LAAC is scheduled to take place on Friday, July 26, at the Providence Hotel in Ikeja GRA.
The forum will afford the minister the opportunity to listen to stakeholders’ inputs and garner resources from them in his desire to return the sector to the path of glory.
According to Keyamo: “Stakeholders remain a key component of my desire to reposition the aviation sector onto its enviable path where the industry can stand shoulder high with others on the global stage.
“I am aware that past recommendations from the LAAC annual conference have helped shape the course of the development of the sector positively.”
The theme of the conference, Keyamo said, couldn’t have come at a better time as the ministry is poised to ensure every obstacle is addressed to reposition the sector.
While the event will be chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of CITA Group, Dr Thomas Ogungbangbe, a former Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Hamisu Yadudu, will moderate the sessions
The Managing Director of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr Umar Farouk, will deliver the keynote speech while the panel session will include the acting Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo; the Managing Director/Chief Executive of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku and Chairman, Bicourtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), Dr Wale Babalakin, as members.
Also to speak at the conference is a former Rector of Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT), Zaria, Captain Samuel Caulcrick and the Second Vice President, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Dr Alex Nwuba.
According to chairman and secretary of the organizing committee of the conference, Chinedu Eze and Albinus Chiedu respectively, the theme of this year’s conference was informed by the challenging state of Nigeria’s economy which has amplified the already existing constraints to growth and development of Nigeria’s aviation in form of poor access to forex, weakening currency, high fuel costs, maintenance costs, poor airports infrastructure, regulatory constraints, growing manpower demands, technology upgrade, passenger comfort, among other issues that require urgent attention of industry stakeholders.
“The LAAC 2024 Annual Conference will stand out from the past editions because of the aptness of issues to be discussed and the quality of industry leaders and dignitaries that will be available to brainstorm on how the industry can navigate through the existing growth constraining challenges, especially aspects that have to do with economics,” the leaders of the committee noted.
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