As NASS moves to scrutinize untidy air agreements

The public hearing recently held by the Senate and House Committees on aviation though was centered on the repeal and enactment of the aviation bills of the aviation agencies which prior to now had become outdated, other critical issues affecting the entire sector cropped up.

The unsatisfactory position of the domestic airlines equally received attention from all stakeholders present at the two public hearings.

While it was generally agreed at the public hearing that the Nigerian airlines were still very far from providing the expected services to the traveling public due to myriad of challenges ranging from unfriendly environment, government unpopular policies, lack of understanding of the rudiments of running airline business by majority of the airlines, too many taxes and many others; it was equally agreed that the too many preferential treatments granted foreign airlines was the bane of the airlines.

The issue of the lopsided Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs) existing between Nigeria and over 80 countries which were signed to the disadvantage of Nigeria also reared its head.

After so many years of condemnation over the lingering unpatriotic BASAs from key players, it seems hope is coming following the announcement made by the Chairman, House of Representative Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, that the National Assembly would begin a review of the BASAs and the foreign airlines’ multiple privileges.

The declaration of the lawmakers has since elicited mixed feelings from key players across the sector with the majority expressing satisfaction even as they called for caution in achieving the set motive for the decision.

Prior to now, many key players had complained about the controversial BASAs which rather than better the lots of the country through its aviation sector and the airlines in particular, had only placed the foreign carriers and their home countries at a vantage position over Nigeria.

It is no longer news how the federal government through the BASA officials at the Ministry of Aviation, on whose shoulders lie the responsibility of negotiating such agreements, had plunged the country into lopsided deals for their own selfish purposes.

The obvious flaws in the agreements became evident in the loose frequencies and multiple entry points doled out to the foreign airlines which ended up compounding the problems of the domestic carriers.

Presently, most of the mega carriers operate into two or even three points across Nigeria, owing to the rights granted them by the agreements.

Again, it is no longer hidden that these loose privileges and the lopsided BASAs are responsible, to a large extent, for the abysmal performances of the domestic airlines who do not have the capacity to compete with the foreign airlines.

Despite the several appeals made to the government to review the agreements and reduce the numerous privileges granted the foreign airlines hitherto now, the subsequent governments turned the other way round while the foreign airlines with their home countries continue to reap bountifully.

The irony in the unpatriotic agreements is that while the policies continue to strengthen the foreign carriers, the domestic airlines are wallowing in economic hardship while the same government often rushes to blame them for their poor performances.

Agreed that in the midst of the controversy, the domestic carriers contributed to their own problems which subsequently took its toll on the domestic airline business, but the obvious fact remains that many unpopular policies of the government like the untidy agreements including the multiple and loose frequencies have remained the bane of the domestic carriers.

It is therefore heartwarming to hear that the lawmakers have indicated readiness to correct these anomalies which had hitherto, undermined the survival of the local airlines.

While appreciating the efforts of the lawmakers to look into the injustice, it is hoped that they will review the multiple entry points granted the foreign airlines which has incapacitated the strength of the local carriers on the local markets.

Equally, the lawmakers should look into many of the lopsided BASAs with a view to giving the domestic airlines the same advantages with airlines from such foreign countries.

Above all, while the foreign airlines and their home countries cannot be blamed for keying into the opportunities created by the untidy agreements, there is the need for the lawmakers to overhaul the department responsible for the negotiation of such agreements at the ministry of aviation as the officials seem to be out of tune with the style of negotiating such agreements.

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