Ime Akpan
The former director of operations at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt. Henry Omeogu has called for the establishment of Civil Aviation Board (CAB) to tackle most of the challenges facing the Nigerian aviation industry, especially the airline sub-sector.
Speaking with journalists at the 23rd Annual Conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) held in Lagos recently, Omeogu attributed the continuous imbalance in the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) which Nigeria signed with other countries to the absence of a CAB.
He said without the CAB, the challenges facing the industry will fester.
He recalled how an attempt was made at correcting the BASA anomaly when he served as the deputy director, air transport in the ministry of aviation between 1996 and 1998 and when he equally chaired the sub-committee on airline development in Nigeria.
He said from the recommendations of the committee, two directorates were created to tackle the issues of safety and economic regulations.
These are the Directorate of Safety Regulations and Monitoring (DESRAM), which he said metamorphosed into the present Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Directorate of Economic Regulations and Monitoring (DERAM), which he said was created to transform into CAB.
He explained that CAB was meant to tackle economic issues that affect the airlines, among which is BASA.
“Because of pecuniary and selfish interests and robbing of the nation through BASA, the creation of CAB never saw the light of the day as it is still domiciled in the ministry, thereby stunting the growth of airlines in Nigeria,” he added.
He mentioned United States, United Kingdom and other developed countries with CABs.
In those countries, he said the CAB is responsible for the negotiation of BASA arrangements with other countries and not the ministry or ministers as it happens in Nigeria.
“This will eliminate what I call avio politics that is now manifesting. The CAB will fight against policies such as unfair pricing, which most foreign airlines in connivance with their governments, use to drive our airlines out of business.
“Our government cannot help because of avio politics. That is why airlines like Air Peace are lamenting. A CAB with technocrats will deal with the issues,” he stressed.
He said without CAB, Nigeria would never benefit from BASA.
He described those negotiating BASA on behalf of the country as inexperienced.
“Government keeps posting people into Aviation Ministry, even from the Ministry of Women Affairs. They go in and they will be the ones to negotiate BASA for Nigeria. So, the policies they make are completely contrary to the aims and objectives of the industry.
“When you have a CAB, technocrats will come up with good policies for the industry. Anything that they come up with stays forever. We have to push for CAB, which will guide investments and others will be taken care of under CAB. Most ministers come with political agenda, which may not be favourable to the industry.
“These are the things we have everywhere and we should have that to boost our aviation investments through policy. Without a CAB, all what were said here especially on policy somersault and others will continue and we will come back here again next year without solutions and answers,” he said.
