The hitherto unimpressive performance of the country in the aspect of cargo business development, is set to witness a huge transformation as a team of professionals cut across relevant organizations have commenced the processes that will chart an implementable and seamless cargo processing guide to ease aviation cargo facilitation and increase cargo volume and traffic in the country.
One of the roles of the committee is to seek ways to champion the development of cargo export and value chain for the country as one of the avenues to boost revenues from non – oil sources.
The committees which have the founder of the Akwaaba African Travel Market and the East Africa’s Tourism personality, MrIkechiUko as the coordinator, was set up by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), following the unanimous agreement of the participants that attended the second edition of CHINET Aviation Cargo Conference in Lagos on the need to set up a technical committee made up of representatives from stakeholders in the aviation cargo valuechain.
Following the position of the FAAN Managing Director, Captain RabiuYadudu, the committee was subsequently set up and saddled with the responsibility of harmonising the points raised at the cargo conference to produce a guideline that can be implemented in the short term and subsequently upgraded into a growth plan for the industry.
According to the FAAN MD, the three sub committees on Airports, Cargo and Export were set up to drive the agenda of making Nigeria rank the first country with the largest tonnage of cargo from its aerodromes in Africa.
At the cargo conference, emphasis was placed on the need for the public and private sectors to collaborate to find a lasting solution to the challenges militatingagainst the aviation cargo business in Nigeria.
In line with the terms of reference, the committee members have embarked on a factfinding process of the Aviacargo road project to the relevant organisation involved in cargo business.
The fasting finding process which started at the Murtala Muhammed Airport to okay the committee members to the two major handling companies of the
SkywayAviation Handling Company (SAHCO), the Nigerian Aviation Handling
Company (NAHCO) responsible for handling inbound and outbound cargos in the country.
During the fact-finding mission, the committees were taking round by the senior officials of the handling companies to have a first hand information on the cargo processing and packaging in line with the international standards in the country.
The committees also visited the Murtala Muhammed Airport Customs Command where ideas that could enhance the growth cargo business in the country.
Speaking during the fact finding mission on Monday, IkechiUko who said the purpose for setting up Aviacargo was to help grow cargo, however lamented that despite the huge economy that abounds in Nigeria, much is still lacking in the aspect of cargo exploration.
Commenting on the committees’ visit to NAHCO, the group managing director, MrIndranil Gupta emphasized the need for Nigeria particularly in the area of cargo to further embrace technology as a means of propelling the growth of cargo business.
For the managing director of SAHCO, Mr Basil Agboarumi, while describing aviation as a community where wage er affects one side, affects the others, he expressed optimism in the caliber of the membership of the committee which he said will pursue the mission of the transformation of cargo exploration in the country to the logical end.
The fact-finding mission is expected to also lead the committee members to other airports across the country.
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