FG not interested in finding MRO setup – Sirika

Minister of state for aviation, Hadi Sirika, says the Federal Government is not interested in setting up a maintenance repair overhaul (MRO) as a result of the current economic downturn.

This is coming at a time the non-availability of MRO facility continues to encourage capital flight, especially with the dollar scarcity.

The minister, who was represented by Abubakar Sidi, director of operations, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), at the Aviation Round Table (ART) yesterday, said the government would only provide environment conducive for the project to thrive.

According to Sirika, “Federal Government will not get involved in the setting up of MRO but will provide conducive environment for stakeholders to build MRO and thrive.”

Speaking earlier at the event, Jari Williams, managing director, Bicourtney Aviation Services Limited, said “Nigeria cannot have airlines without a maintenance base,” adding that the biggest problem with setting up an MRO was lack of government policy.

According to Williams, “setting up an MRO require government incentives, tax waivers on spare parts importation, low interest rates, free trade zones, pioneer status and security.”

Williams recalled that when he was the managing director of Akwa Ibom International Airport, he tried for six years to ensure that Uyo Airport MRO was operational, but lamented that government policy had made it impossible for it to come to fruition.

He called on all the necessary stakeholders to join in setting up hanger where repair and maintenance of aircrafts parts would be carried out locally, but alleged that “a new idea or project may not succeed if the initiator does not belong to a particular group,” stressing that this should not be if the aviation industry must move forward.

Gbenga Olowo, president, ART Safety Initiative, accused aviation stakeholders of singing discordant tunes, stressing that these tunes often times do not bring about growth, saying these tunes were based on parochial and personal gains, as the aviation industry was sick and going beyond remedy.

Though MRO is good for the industry to stop capital flight, but the management, viability domestically, regionally and internationally must be discussed by the stakeholders, he said.