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FG appoints transaction advisers for national carrier, airport concession, others

By Wole Oyebade (Lagos) and Joke Falaju, (Abuja)
30 March 2018   |   4:09 am
The Federal Government has appointed transaction advisers, comprising 16 firms, for the establishment of a national carrier and concession of major airports in the country.The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika...

The Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika

• To pay Nigerian Airways workers soon

The Federal Government has appointed transaction advisers, comprising 16 firms, for the establishment of a national carrier and concession of major airports in the country.The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, yesterday at a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, disclosed that the two projects and four others were designed to drive the Nigeria aviation sector roadmap.

Sirika said that the Transaction Advisers have all commenced work and are liaising with the Project Delivery Team, except the one for the National Carrier engaged in May 2017.He explained their deliverables include an Outline Business Case for adopting Public Private Partnership (PPP) methodology and development of a well-structured PPP procurement process to select a PPP partner.

Others are, preparing the Full Business Case (FBC) as well as supporting the Ministry to obtain FBC Compliance Certificate from Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval and progress transaction up to financial closure.

The Outline Business Case shall on completion and due approval by relevant authorities be presented to interested investors, Sirika said.Besides the national carrier and airport concession, the aviation sector roadmap also has the development of Agro-Cargo Terminals, establishment of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Centre, establishment of an Aviation Leasing Company (ALC) and Development of Airport Cities (Aerotropolis).

Others are the establishment of an Aerospace University in Abuja, Review of Civil Aviation Policy and Acts, Restructuring of Aviation Parastatals, Enforcement of Expatriate Quota, Establishment of Search and Rescue System and Upgrade of Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) into an ICAO Regional Training Centre of Excellence among others.

The firms for the National carrier are Avia Solutions Ltd, Tianerro FZE and Airline Management Group Ltd.Meanwhile, the minister has promised to ensure the payment of the N45 billion entitlements of ex-workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL). The minister explained that the delay in payment was because the Senate was yet to approve it but urged them to be patient, saying that the Senate promised to approve it after the Easter break. He said the payment would be done within two weeks after the Senate’s approval.

On their threat to ground flight operations, the minister said: “If you shut down operations, it will affect a lot of things. So, you don’t need to close the airspace because it can cause serious economic damage to the country,  and also cause serious security risk. Please let your protest and downing of  tools be in accordance with the law because it is an industry you want to develop also.”

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