Rabiu Yadudu the managing director of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria has called for investments in airport spaces, stating that the Agency is moving away from reliance on aeronautical revenues coming from the airline operations.
Speaking during the second edition of the FAAN National Conference in Abuja on Monday, Yadudu noted that the agency has implemented several resolutions adopted during the last year’s conference in a bid to attract investments.
“We have a lot of land for investment so what we need is for people to come and partner with us.
“We don’t want to rely only on the aeronautical revenues coming from the airlines, we need make full use of our resources spaces so that we can generate more revenues,” he said.
Speaking further, Yadudu said that the conference will ensure an improved performance of the aviation industry, adding that it is important to have an industry that is sound and harmonized in compliance with global standards and recommended practice.
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Yadudu speaking on the theme of the conference ‘Sustainability of the Aviation Industry in Nigeria’, said it provides a unified platform for all industry stakeholders to come together to discuss the challenges millitating against the growth of the industry.
In her remarks, the chairperson, Senate Committee on Aviation, Biodun Olujini called on airlines to brainstorm on ways to address the arbitrary increase in airfares, adding that the industry may suffer with the continued increase in fares.
She said, “Yes, there are reasons why the airfares go up but there is also a need for us to have a balance for many people to embrace the aviation industry and that is key to the development of the industry.”
Olujini who decried the incessant picketing in the industry, said, “i hink the time is ripe for the NLC and the work unions to know that there are certain industries were picketing can not be allowed and aviation is one of them.”
Hadi Sirika the minister of aviation in his remarks stated that despite the brick walls and bureaucratic bottlenecks the administration was met with, they were able to develop a robust roadmap to chart a new course in the aviation industry which is evident in the numerous projects embarked upon from several runway construction and rehabilitation projects to new international terminals completed and commissioned.
The minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Emmanuel Meribole, tasked the industry stakeholders to use the platform to come up with recommendations that will impact the system such that the industry will further gravitate towards achieving globally acceptable standards and recommended practices
