By Gabriel Agbeja/Abuja
The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has led a team on an inspection tour of two successfully concessioned airports in Brasilia and Istanbul.
The team comprised officials of the Ministry, agencies and organized labour in the aviation industry, according to ministry spokesman James Odaudu.
Sirika said the tour was part of efforts to ensure transparency, inclusiveness, sincerity in the airport concession programme to choose the right model.
Sirika stated the essence of the visit was to dispel all doubts and suspicion regarding sincerity of the Federal Government in respect to the concession programme and to reassure labour of the inherent benefits of the programme.
The minister said that the choice of the two airports was based on their popularity, size and their success stories on concession.
Sirika further said that the achievement by the two airports being visited would serve as a guide on the concession model and contribute to the successful delivery of the programme in Nigeria.
He maintained that Government is determined to sustain principles of transparency and accountability which had been the hallmark of the process from inception till the final delivery of the project in the country.
According to him, the two airports presented his team with visual stories of their transition and positive impact of their concessions.
The team that visited the Istanbul Airport in Turkey and the Brasilia Airport in Brazil with the Minister included the Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Captain Alkali Modibbo, the Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Matthew Pwajok, the Transaction Adviser on Airport Concession, Dr Abba Ibrahim, and the Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Michael Ohiani.
Also in the entourage were the Senior Technical Assistant to the Minister, Yusuf Anas, Special Assistant to Minister on Administration, Ahmed Sanusi, Secretary General of the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Saidu Abdulrazak, Secretary General of NUATE, Ocheme Abah, and Adenike Adesola (Cabin Service Supervisor)
