Nigerian domestic airline operators have been protesting against the protection given to foreign carriers operating in the country, what with multiple destinations they fly to. They also complain about the BASAs, which according to them, are skewed towards Nigeria and its airlines. In this interview, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr Festus Keyamo, says among other things that he would look into their complaints but states that there is no guarantee that he will listen to or cover for them should they fail to show proof of their capacity.
Ime Akpan
Condition of old and new terminal buildings
The major complaint of Nigerians or foreigners coming into the country has been about the old terminal. That terminal is an eyesore. And we have this new terminal that the Chinese built. Nigerians have been asking why the new terminal is not put into use. The simple reason is that I don’t know how this new terminal was designed. It has no provision to take big planes. I don’t know how it happened. I’ve been asking questions about how they would design an international gateway like the Lagos terminal without a provision to take the big planes; it doesn’t have the aviobridges that can link to the big planes. That has been the reason why we have not been using this new terminal and that’s why Nigerians have been asking that question.
Meanwhile 60 per cent of the revenue of FAAN comes from the Lagos Airport. The Lagos gateway is one of the major gateways into the country. So what is the solution to this? We have said we must use what we have for now. I’m giving the international and all the other airlines up to October 1 to move from the old terminal to the new terminal.
Before October 1 their counters should move to the new terminal. What is difficult about that? We have 60 points in the new terminal and most of them are not in use. Those check-in counters are not in use and we are struggling with a terminal that is smelly and leaking and a complete disgrace to Nigeria. That is why I said they should move to the new terminal. I am coming with a private sector mentality.The new terminal that is under used, we spent a lot of money building it; we have to use it.
The problem with the new terminal is that they did not take into consideration the big airplanes that would come in and anchor with the aviobridges that will take passengers into the arrival.
So we are going to put them (passengers) in buses and move them to where the big planes stop in an orderly fashion, both the arrival and departure so that Nigerians can have some sort of comfort with this new facility.
The long term plan is that we are going to find a way to build aviobridges for the big planes coming in and that means that some of those private hangars will have to go for public purpose.
What we are going to do temporarily is that we are going to shut down the old terminal and sort out all the issues regarding the renovation of the old terminal.
The old terminal is a total eye sore. Since I came into office, I have heard complaints upon complaints. The central air-conditioner is not working, the carousels are not working, they break down quite often and the approach into the airport is smelly and totally unwelcoming to people coming into Nigeria and that is a gateway to Nigeria. I have given them a directive that we should completely shut it down and use the new terminal that can also take the traffic.
Unserviceable aircraft littering the airport
These are where they put unserviceable planes and I also understand several of them went to court. I have told the MD of FAAN that all of these aircraft here that are totally unserviceable to remove them. You cannot park them perpetually on the facility of the Federal Government. We want to expand the apron and they will have three months to remove them. All those with unserviceable aircraft, we are giving them three months to take away their aircraft after which we shall be at liberty to do away with them because we want to expand our aprons. I have told the MD of FAAN to get in touch with all of those who have their unserviceable aircraft because it is our facility; they are hampering development.
Protecting local airlines
People have been complaining about some of our BASAs and the airline operators said you can’t come under a BASA; a foreign airline, and be hopping from one city to the other within Nigeria picking passengers and it affects their local operations. I am prepared to protect the rights of local operators. In fact, it is one of my cardinal objectives because we have to develop the industry. We have to protect and support our local operators but they must give us comfort and give Nigerian people comfort too.
“That is the problem; I have told them. You are complaining about those BASAs, yes ok, yes I agree and I will look at them but can you for instance get into agreements with foreign airlines whereby you sign connectivity agreements with them, pick passengers from Kano, and connect them to Lagos and then they are waiting for you and you are delaying for hours.
“Can you do that? Can you give me that comfort before I can look at those BASAs? If they sign 30 Business Class for instance from Kano and connect through Abuja, can you give us the 30 Business Class in your aircraft? Give me that comfort and I will protect you. Tell the Nigerian people that you can perform. I am clear on where I am going. We are looking at all those issues before I come to a decision.”
Rights of passengers
On flight delay if I want to protect you, I want to protect you, what about the Nigerian people that you have put through a lot of pain through delays and cancellation of flights? What we have to do is provision of Jet A1 to be made available to them. We will do our best to make sure that those things are available but you have to be responsible to the Nigerian people. At a point, I will tell them to let us draw the line.
If you abuse the rights of passengers, you will pay. The regulations are there. We are not enforcing them as to when you cancel flights, or delay flights; you pay some compensation to passengers. Nobody is enforcing that. We will enforce those rules. This is a note to all of them. I have so many friends but in this job, they will see my red eyes. I have no friends. I am only responsible to the Nigerian people and absolutely loyal to Mr. President.”
Fate of Nigeria Air project, airport concession
I am responsible to the feelings of Nigerians. We have not canceled any project. We have only suspended some things that people complained about. We must be very responsible to the feelings of Nigerians. Even if something is good but not transparent, because Nigerian people must know the processes by which you give out their commonwealth. Nigerians must be aware of how you give out their commonwealth to individuals in the name of concession. Don’t shroud this in secrecy. Let the national assembly…know and let them know through you that this process was transparent and we got the best deal for Nigerians. And that is why I have directed that all of those concessions should be suspended until I brief Mr. President. Nigeria Air should be suspended. I have directed until I brief Mr. President to see that the process follows transparent way. Ninety percent of why I am here is about laws and regulations and we are interpreting it better for Nigerians to understand. Being here, I am trapped between diametrically opposed absolutes and interest. If you go here, they will complain, if you go to other place, they will complain. That is this office.
Enhancing safety in aviation industry
There should be very less political interference in safety matters. Don’t expect me to interfere in safety matters. That is completely in the hands of the NCAA and they are totally responsible and answerable to ICAO. I am not going to interfere with safety. One of my cardinal programmes should just be to ensure that NCAA enforces their rules and regulations to the hilt; that is my duty. I will not interfere in matters of regulations.
Shape up or ship out
This is a simple matter. I either get sacked by Mr. President or somebody who is responsible will get sacked. It is a matter of who die first. Mr. President will sack me. The person that is not making my work easy will be fired. It is as simple as that. I owe my total loyalty to the Nigerian people and Mr. President and you know how I became a minister. Mr. President himself pleaded at the last minute to make me a minister. So, he expects a lot from me. I want to disappoint many naysayers. They want to see me in full flight.
