FG’s Intervention Saves 3,000 Jobs in Aviation Industry

• FG’s Intervention Saves 3,000 Jobs in Aviation Industry

The Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika on Wednesday said the Federal Government’s intervention in the aviation industry during Arik and Aero Contractors turbulent saved over 3,000 jobs.

The intervention, according to the minister, also prevented the dearth of aviation professionals.

He later said to make the airspace safer, the government, through the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has completed the Kano Tower Automated Air Traffic Management and Meteorological Systems, as well as installed the instrument for landing.

“We have installed the high power Very High Frequency (VHF) stand-alone radios in Lagos and Kano Area Control Centres (ACC) as backup for air – ground upper airways voice communication and also embarked on the deployment of Controller-Pilot-Data Link Communication (CPDLC) in Lagos and Kano to enhance communication in the oceanic region and the remote areas of the north,” he said.

The ministers said government’s objective is to complete all the abandoned projects instead of embarking on new ones, adding that President Buhari has since commissioned the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

He said: “This administration met the projects on ground, but Mr. President ensured that they were not abandoned. At present, Kano and Enugu airports are at advanced stages of completion.”

“We reconstructed Abuja runway and undertook isolated repair of the taxiway and apron, including complete remarking of the entire pavement and associated airfield lighting system. We streamlined various security screening points at the international airports in line with Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business.”