Aviation Featured Transport

Stakeholders want urgent FG intervention in aviation industry

Some stakeholders in aviation have appealed to the Federal Government to speed up  interventions to revamp the sector which, they said, was hardest hit by the COVID -19 pandemic.

They made the call on Saturday in Abuja.

According to them, aviation sector accommodated many businesses and employed  thousands of workers, whose jobs were being threatened by the pandemic.

They said that interventions by the Federal Government would go a long way to help many airlines to get back to their feet.

Mr Abayomi Agoro, President of the Nigeria Air Traffic Controllers`

Association (NATCA), said that the sector needed urgent bailout to  recover from the effects of  COVID-19.

“Aviation is one of the  sectors affected most in Nigeria and globally.

“In airports , you have fuel marketers, caterers, ground handling companies, security personnel, restaurants, small shops, lounges and others.

“They have stopped because there are no flights.

“We should prepare for post COVID-19 recovery and stabilisation of the entire system,” he said.

The Max Air Executive Director, Mr Harish Manwani, said that intervention  by the Federal Government would cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, in many countries, loans and relief packages have been offered to airlines to be able to sustain their operations and maintain their aircraft as safety should not be compromised.

“I believe that the Federal Government is working very hard to come up with a relief package for airline operators to assist the sector to come back to its feet.

“There are various things going on in the ministry, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority,  Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other bodies of government to ensure a decontaminated environment at all airports and on all aircraft in Nigeria.

“I have a strong belief that the aviation sector will come back soon, but we should have all the safety requirements in place,” he said.

Related posts

NIPS: Minister assures recommendation will be implemented

Meletus EZE

Nigeria’s inflation rate hits 11.40% in May – NBS

By Abisola THOMPSON

Let the DisCos die for Nigerians to have light

Editor

Commuters groan as marketers implement new pump price regime

Our Reporter

Oil companies responsible for environmental degradation in Bayelsa – Diri

Editor