The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has proposed a 10-year development plan for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to enable it execute projects that would outlive the tenures of the agency’s chiefs.
The chairman of the committee, Mr. Nnolim Nnaji who stated this in an interview with aviation correspondents after a tour of FAAN facilities at the Lagos Airport on Thursday said one of the problems of the agency was that each chief executive would always come up with their own programmes.
He also said FAAN needed funding and prayed the federal government to help the agency with infrastructure.
Besides, he said one of the areas to start from “is to ensure the amendment of the FAAN Bill sent to us by the president adding that a public hearing on the proposed amendment begins next week.
“FAAN needs funding like every other agency in the aviation sector. Part of our plea to the federal government is to help FAAN in the area of aviation infrastructure.
“The 25 per cent remittance by FAAN to the federal government, the federal government can find a way to create a consolidated account where this 25 per cent will be remitted to and create a 10-year developmental plan where FAAN can come up with a programme on how to improve their infrastructure.
“It is not just about the budgetary allocation alone, this ten year plan can enable them to carry out a project that can live beyond managing directors and executive directors.
“The problem we are having is that a managing director and executive directors will come and create their programme.
“But if we have a plan that involves the federal government through the ministry of finance, budget ministry and the other agencies will form part of the consolidated account so that whatever project that is coming will live beyond the management of FAAN,” he said.
On debt recovery, Nnaji said the lawmakers would assist FAAN to recover its monies.
“As members of parliament and stakeholders, we will not allow FAAN to carry the burden alone; we are definitely going to pursue it.
“We are lucky that we have members in this committee who are also members of the finance committee and others that have direct bearing on debt recovery. These members will come together to support FAAN in this aspect,” he added.
