Nigerian air cargo convention delegates agree to blame government

THE lull in the air cargo business in Nigeria is due to inadequate support from the Federal Government, said sector stakeholders at a recent conference in Lagos, reports to Lagos Independent newspaper.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was called on to use the NGN600 million (US$4.03 million) generated from the sector to fast track the construction of warehouses as a way of "tackling corrupt activities of touts at the airports, said the report.

Organised by the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) the one-day symposium at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, drew delegates from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Customs Service (NIS), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Association of Nigerian Customs Licensed Agents (ANCLA), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Senior Staff Service Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) and Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCo).

LAAC president Roseline Adinoyi urged aviation authorities accelerate measures to help the air cargo reap benefits other countries did.

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority director general Harold Demuren said cargo was a major contributor to an airline's revenue and air cargo business had to be more security conscious.

The NCAA chief also said the dangers associated with air cargo compared to hazards operating commercial flights. "It is so easy to put an explosive in an aircraft through cargo," he said.

Dr Demuren also emphasised the importance of training personnel for cargo operations and condemned insider abuse by staff.

Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) CEO Isaac Orolugbagbe complained of over-regulation, emphasising the need for government agencies such as Federal Airports Authority to carry out their responsibilities to improve the sector and urged the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANCLA) to curb the practice of renting out certificates.

The Association of Nigerian Customs Licensed Agents presented a paper called "Challenges of Carrying out Legitimate Cargo Business at the Airport in Nigeria", which called for the categorisation of cargo at the Lagos airport a into known and unknown segment as is done in "advanced countries".

ANCLA argued that air cargo business though is one of the major aviation businesses and revenue generation point for FAAN, it has not being recognised by aviation regulatory bodies.

FAAN general manager Temitope Tubi lamented that concessionaires have over the years, taken advantage of FAAN's magnanimity in Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to rob the public of their commonwealth.

But he said cargo volumes had grown over the years with 45,168 tonnes handled in 2001, and that "today, NAHCo [Nigerian Aviation Handling Company] alone handles 120 international flights".
(Source:www.schednet.com)