Nigeria’s Aviation: The Stella Oduah Rat chase

Aviation Nigeria

By Stephen Anayo

Nigeria's parliamentarians and aviation stakeholders are currently enmeshed in a running battle as they seek to probe the recent purported acquisition of two bulletproof cars by the nation's Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah.

The rat chase is such that it is easy to forget that less than a year ago, there was high praise from a number of quarters for this high-achieving individual, in the light of her inputs into the ailing aviation sector.

She embarked on a foreign road trip earlier this year, in her bid to get foreign investment to build the first aerotropolis in all of Nigeria, using the four most commercially viable airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourta model that locates business enterprises at the airports.

Oduah has equipped 22 Nigerian airports with lightning and thunderstorm detection equipment covering a range of 200 km and has made plans to build a cargo airport to help the increasing number of agricultural exports and with the redistribution of cargo.

That garnered praise from the eccentric governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. He said "Stella has spoken about a cargo airport for perishables and for agriculture. Now, for me, as an economist and as the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, that is the most important and visionary step that the Aviation Minister has taken."

He also applauded her efforts to make the flying experience as comfortable as possible, stressing that: "Airports are not just to carry human beings from Lagos to Kano; it is not just there to make travel easy and comfortable experience for individuals." 

Quite a lot of cynic Nigerians probably do not know that under the minister's watch, a Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (TRACON) was set up and ground controllers in the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), which relays the low-level wind shear specific alerts to pilots via voice radio communication.

Just two years after her appointment, she set up the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) "Wreckage Hangar’’ in Abuja to ensure the speedy investigations of air crashes and incidents in Nigeria.

After years of neglect and near-deterioration, the international terminal of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu was commissioned and this same minister has secured approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the construction of five brand new International terminals /Cargo terminals from a concessionary loan from Chinese EXIM bank.

As you read this, plans are at an advanced stage to float a new national carrier that will be completely private-sector driven and professionally managed too. For the existing airlines, the minister has decided to play Good Samaritan too as she is working on the acquisition of about 30 new aircraft for domestic airlines through an intervention fund to re-fleet the airlines and boost their capacity.

In times of unnecessary fare disparity against Nigerian passengers by British Airways authorities with better treatment being meted out to other nationals, no one but Stella Oduah stood up to challenge the airline's authorities. Even the current imbroglio that Turkish Airways is involved in, as regards the Abuja-Kano route is because the minister is refusing to bow to another airline giving Nigerians sub-par treatment unlike what obtains in other countries. But will the press ever bother to report about this? 

Stella Oduah handled the Bilateral Air Service Agreement, BASA that involved the Arik Airline and the British Airways authorities and  brought to the fore, her diplomatic ingenuity and negotiating skills. 

For Arik's sake and for the benefit of Nigerians visiting London often, she got back the airline's landing slots into Heathrow Airport and worked magic by getting the airport management to increase the slots to seven, from four per week.

It is instructive to note too that she stopped Bi-Courtey from increasing the Passenger Service Charge to protect the traveling public from undue exploitation and ensure that everyone, rather than just the elite can fly at affordable rates. Consequently, air travel costs remain reasonable and there has not been any appreciable increase since she took over at the ministry.

As-a-matter-of-factually speaking, she has demonstrated ability, doggedness, competence and a lot of resilience to ensure that the Aviation Industry lines up with internationally accepted standards.  Instead of battling with her array of critics as some other government officials are wont to do, she has concentrated on leaving a good legacy and trying to complete ongoing projects that the ministry is involved in. It takes maturity and uncommon tenacity to do this and obviously, these are some of the minister's strong points.

For a third world country such as Nigeria, it is quite pleasing to the eyes that the country's airports which were once an eyesore and a symbol of governmental malfeasance can change. Oduah is turning water to wine and deserves to be given a second chance; perhaps she can indeed make the land of the Nigerian prince a land flowing with milk and honey.

Conspiracy to undo Jonathan at all cost in the name of Aviation

Usman Abubakar

Sun Tzu says ‘Once is chance. Twice is coincidence. Thrice is enemy action.’ But when an individual or institution receives continued bashing even when it deserves praise, then this can only be translated as the tell-tale signs of a grand conspiracy.

For if not the hatching of a conspiracy, what else could be the root cause of a clearly coordinated and sequential series of attacks beginning with the Ministry of Petroleum, the Ministry of Finance and now the Ministry of Aviation? What other conclusion could be more firm than the assessment that these attacks go beyond the ministries, to undermine President Goodluck Jonathan himself.

Before President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Princess Stella Oduah as the Minister of Aviation, the aviation sector had sunk completely. Prior to her appointment, the state of Nigerian airports was described by the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku as ‘poultry sheds’. Aviation stakeholders had been forced into a dangerous relationship of inertia kept in check by a complex and interwoven network of corruption. Three decades of decadence had created an array of benefactors such as the cabals of the oil sector leading to a neglect of its core mandate to the people. Airplanes had become as a writer described ‘Molues in the sky’.

Those who understand the pains that have been taken to make our airports what they are today will surely understand that it would take more than a N225million scam to end the transformation agenda. Actions to sweep aside such great achievement as carried out by the Aviation Minister in such a short while, achievements which earned recommendations from ordinary air-travellers to the Senate Committee on Aviation of a job well done simply hints at nothing else but downplaying the office of the President and its commitment to transformation.

It is therefore of no surprise that the call for Stella Oduah’s head is in line with the dictates of the Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the PDP, who had earlier also demanded for the sack of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Finance Minister; and Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Petroleum Minister.

The achievements so far accomplished by the Aviation Ministry guided and firmly supported by President Goodluck Jonathan has been ground breaking.  Beginning with a Bilateral Air Service Agreement, followed by a simultaneous reconstruction and re-modelling of 22 airports (passengers/Hajj/Pilgrims camps) and crowned with issue of NCAP, the pace had been established from the onset as one which was set to terrify corrupt bureaucratic systems.

Clearly this wave of attacks like a hydra with many heads is among the several attempts to undermine efforts by the President Jonathan Administration. These attacks come in several forms; first as direct attacks towards the ministry of Aviation and the person of Princess Stella Oduah by blames for air mishaps, Aviation Union strike actions, and the Rotimi Amaechi saga, and secondly directs attacks at the presidents transformation agenda through the machinations of insecurity, the organs of corruption, acts of insubordination, springing of political parties and political factions, action groups, ASUU and a long list of unions, groups and cabals who endure because their very existence benefits some state elites who face no significant incentive toward capacity-building, good governance, or development.

It is clear in the face of all these that the cries which echo are not those of the needy masses, not those of a people clamouring for positive change, not the voice of reason and truth, but that of conspiracy, of confusion and intent to throw the country into chaos. The attack on the aviation ministry is one of such false cries that must not be given ear. The opponents of transformation should not be granted such audience.

‘We are not angry with the Aviation Minister’

Habiba Mahmoud

One has only to look at a matter independently, broadly, and un-influenced by common-place ideas and truth will look back at him. Such is the approach to be adopted in the recent outcry over vehicles supposedly purchased by the Aviation Ministry; one has to even set-aside fundamental truths that the Aviation Ministry comfortably maintains the well-deserved position of Transformation Ambassadors in the on-going administration.

It is no longer a surprise when Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah gets above her share of well-deserved media attention. Of course this is expected as her achievement in the past and on-going as well isn’t news anymore. What is slightly new however is the approach ‘economic detractors’ have adopted, in what can be religiously referred to as, ‘a shameless and tenacious persistence to do harm to one already anointed.’

What else could be truer than that? The purchase orders for the said bullet proof BMW’s did not bear the Ministers name, neither did the bank papers. The cars were not parked in the Aviation Ministers residence, or in the parking lot allocated to her at the ministry. There is no official document that links the Aviation Minister directly to the purchase from either First Bank, or Coscharis Motors or any of the fine public serving institutions these allegations has sought to ridicule. To go a bit further, even if there was, wouldn’t that simply be suspicious? Isn’t it even remotely possible that the said figures were self-generated?

The reckless series of self-serving actions to capitalize on the sentiments in millions, of people already betrayed through spreading half-truths and quarter-lies will surely come to end.

The attempts of recent development detractors, some under the false guise of ‘experts’ to mindlessly feed off the negative emotions innocent Nigerians already marred by a series of failed administrations by putting a knife on our differences in cultures, ethnicity, religion, world views and ways of life will also come to an end.

They will come to know that Nigerians have grown weary at believing in change from the lips of those once granted the opportunity and failed to even point at the ‘promise land’, talk more of reaching it.

Although what gives strength to these false figure blabbers is that they understand that we as a people have become disarrayed at the actions of previous administrations and that our common problem has become an inability to see the problem as it is. That we fail to act when it becomes necessary, fail to recognize, pin point and identify our common enemies (they), masquerading in various forms. So they constantly attempt to shape-shift and deceive us each time. What else can make activists out of former ministers, or deliver righteousness to one who isn’t even God-fearing.

It is of no surprise therefore that the capacity of the Aviation Minister to do so much in so little time, has gained her so many social ‘distractions’. It is simply the mutual worry that some interests are no longer being represented and the actions now set in motion is one that will redefine the political machinery. 

In truth, we are no longer angry at the figures we see, or the names we hear or the actions that have been taken by those in office. We are no longer angry at being neglected, at being forgotten, at automatically being un-important, or left out of the political machinery. In less than a week, it will be a miracle if a larger amount of mis-appropriated funds does not cloud the loudly talked about vehicles.

We are not angry at Princess Stella Oduah, how can we be? She is a model of all the things we haven’t had in a long while, a physical manifestation of the power of the ‘Nigerian Woman’, an enigma to the aviation industry and the Nigerian government, an idea of consistent and creative development, an ideal that our current state of affairs forces us to seek and violently oppose.

We are not angry at the Aviation Minister. We may be angry at our legislators, at our governors and local government chairpersons, but surely not at an ‘angel of good tidings’’.

Or perhaps we really are angry that we have been left in such a deplorable state that we can no longer recognize truth from lies. That the organs we depended on to deliver to us the gains of a democratically elected government, as well as manage our God given natural and human resources failed us to such an extent that we can no longer distinctly separate successes from failures, or technocrats from criminals. No, I doubt that.

One simply has to forget that the aviation industry is the most vibrant, committed and dedicated sector to the national transformation philosophy of the Goodluck Jonathan Administration. One simply has to forget the shiny new airport terminals spread from the North to the East, or the marvellous roadmap put in place to welcome foreign investors from far and wide to Nigeria.

To put quite simply, one has to forget the Super Eagles flying back home safely, clutching victory in their hands after an odyssey of failed attempts. We are not angry at the Aviation Minister.

FG cares for air passengers through the Passengers’ Bill of Rights

Aviation Nigeria

By Yakubu Dati

The sweeping reform in the aviation sector is indeed changing the perception of the people about government. In a conversation I had with a group of people travelling through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, last week, I can say that the Aviation Ministry has become a signpost for measuring the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. As we got down to discussion about the state of the nation, the aviation sector continued to pop-up as a good example.

We had several arguments and agreements about the work of each of the ministries and agencies and how that is affecting the lives of the people positively. And as we couldn’t move away from the Aviation sector, we began to dissect the work being done and its importance for the future of Nigeria. We all agreed that the leadership of the Aviation Ministry is committed to a genuine reform and passionate about it. Perhaps the array of men and women leading the agencies under the aviation ministry gives a strong statement about the ministry’s commitment to a genuine reform.

One of such agencies is the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) under the leadership of Captain Folayele Akinkuotu. Agency like NCAA is a very critical part of the Aviation Ministry and that makes it a centre point in aviation regulation in the country and elsewhere in the world where a similar agency operates.

Though Akinkuotu assumed the leadership of NCAA not too long ago, the fact that he has been around in the sector helped him to hit the ground running.  He indeed knows what to do and where to touch to bring human face into the aviation reform. He knows how painful it can be for passengers when they are cheated by the airlines and no one is responding to them. He’s aware that the problem has been there for decades and that Nigerians have resigned to fate about it.  At the airports, passengers dare not be sure of when they will arrive at their destinations. Circumstances have forced many to make provisions for disappointments, which have practically become the rules rather than the exception. Many passengers leave the airports dejected on a daily basis because they arrive with their luggage left behind.

The Consumer Protection Unit of the agency (NCAA) he leads receives no less than 50,000 complaints from passengers badly treated by local and international airlines. The complaints relate to lost baggage, poor in-flight service, flight delays and cancellations, amongst others.

So when he was appointed he called for the Passengers’ Bill of Rights. He looked into it and pronto moved to work for its full-scale implementation.   

And though the full enforcement of the Passengers’ Bill of Rights will begin this week, it has started to yield fruits because authorities have been taken proactive steps ahead of time to help Nigerians get justice.  For instance some passengers were denied boarding due O/S on FLT BA082/14 JUL ABV-LHR and denied boarding compensation was issued at GBP250 to each of the 9 passengers. They are: Atsiangba H, Apollo A, Apollo J, Apollo D, Esinkuma F, Disu M, Egole A, Okogwu C, and Odeka C.

Also a passenger by name Salihu Abdul Buba who flew on Ethiopian airline in Feb 2012 was refunded the sum of N126,106 which he paid for oxygen that was not utilized and the airline was not willing to refund till the intervention of the Consumer Protection Department of the NCAA.  He was paid on the 29th of June 2013 according to reports.

So as a result of the inconveniences to passengers occasioned by flight delay, the new NCAA Bill of Rights provides that whenever an airline anticipates a delay of its flight beyond its scheduled time, passengers are entitled to some reliefs. For delay beyond one hour, the airline must provide refreshment, telephone call, SMS or e-mail to the passengers. In case of a delay for two hours and beyond, the carrier must reimburse passengers the full value of their tickets.

In instances where the delay occurs between 10pm and 4am, the airline henceforth must provide hotel accommodation, refreshment, meal, two free calls, sms, e-mail and transport to and from the airport.

International passengers with delayed flights for between two and four hours are entitled to refreshment and two telephone calls, sms or e-mail. Delay of four hours or more makes an airline liable to provide the passengers with a meal, two telephone calls, sms or e-mail. For delays at least six hours after the time of original departure, each passenger is entitled to hotel accommodation and transportation between the airport and place of accommodation.

The measure is aimed at checking rights violations by domestic and foreign carriers and already domestic carriers are jittery over the implementation of the new aviation law that is expected to checkmate gross violation of passengers’ rights that has been on over the years. Now,  for boarding priority, every airline is mandated to establish priority procedures and criteria for determining which passengers holding confirmed ticket shall be denied boarding on the over-booked flight if insufficient numbers of volunteers come forward. 

If denied boarding involuntarily, the operating airline shall immediately compensate the passengers and offer assistance stipulated in the bill.

There is so much in this bill that now makes air travelers the king in Nigeria and that make it important for everyone to become familiar with the Passengers’ Bill of Rights.

Yakubu Dati is the Coordinating General Manager, information and Communications of Aviation Parastatals

FG signs $500 million Aviation Infrastructure Loan agreement with China

Aviation Nigeria

The federal government of Nigeria has signed a $500 million Loan Agreement with the Chinese government for the construction of four new International airport terminals in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano.

The Agreement is one of many other Agreements and MoU’s signed in Beijing as President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan formally commenced a Two-Day State Visit to China.

The commencement of construction work on the terminals had been on hold pending the formal signing of the loan deal which will be financed by the Chinese EXIM Bank.

Reacting to the development, Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the Federal government is very elated that the loan deal for the financing of the construction of the terminals has finally been sealed.

She said airports, being the Gateways to the country are critical not only as drivers of the socio-economic development of Nigeria, but also an outward reflection of the character of any nation.

She added that developing airport and aviation infrastructure was therefore a major priority to the federal government, and commended the leadership of President Jonathan for pulling off such a remarkable milestone with the Chinese authorities. She said the simultaneous construction of four international airports will create employment and other value chains that will help to grow and expand the frontiers of the Nigerian economy.

Also reacting, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah expressed profound joy that the dream of President Jonathan to bequeath befitting international airports for the country will now be realised with the signing of the Agreement today in Beijing, China.

”I am extremely delighted with this development today. Now, real work can start as we had been eagerly waiting for this day. We promised to give the nation international airports befitting the stature and standing of Nigeria as the giant of Africa and today’s ceremony is a significant milestone towards the achievement of this objective”, Oduah declared.

Aviation Transformation: Looking towards a Chinese Concession

Aviation Nigeria

by Tahir Sherriff

Transportation as a means to an end has remained a primary action of man since time immemorial. Today, in all modern societies it has become a hub of investors and institutions developed to provide an array of services related to land, sea and air transport.

Since service providers have come to depend on investors who aid in setting up necessary infrastructure, two elements, Capital and Profits take primary positions in these discussions and every government that seeks to provide social amenities have to deal with these challenges.

The Nigerian Aviation industry which has continued to cross the boundaries of local possibilities has sought to tackle one challenge in its plan to build first class international terminals in different states of the country. The challenge of funding.

Building airport terminals to meet international standards go beyond raising structures that inspire awe from local and foreign travelers, it also (as airports are gateways to countries) defines for foriegn investors a first aid analysis to economic standards of quality.

To fund the building of structures is only partial, to fund the entities that will exist in these structures is another financial maze in itself.

Among the 'To Do' list of the team which will accompany President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as he resumes a session in China is among other things, working out the financial ramifications of a concession agreement that will involve the President, the Ministry of Aviation and the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) in what is expected to be a concessionaire agreement for the building of airport terminals in different parts of the country.

The key word for CCECC who have began to play an active part in the development of various sectors of the Nigerian economy will be 'Profit', but theirs will not be short term. A concession agreement often accompanies with it (in complex societies such as Nigeria) various financial and political upheavals. 

Diplomats and Ambassadors will be discussing with President Goodluck Jonathan along social, political and financial lines in his 5-day visit to the commercial world center. If a cost-effective concession agreement is reached and the terminals are put in place, it is expected that it will usher not only Foreign Direct Investments, but also internal development in the area of job creation and quality services.

With the growing focus of foreign investments in Africa, matched with a double digit airline passenger growth statistics, such development not only helps to take advantage of the opportunities as they come, it also aids in building from scratch a workable business and legal framework that will suitably meet developing challenges.

The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah highlighted the administrations objectives while clinically stating its advantages during a Mid Term report in June after what was termed 'a wholistic review of the aviation sector' said its actions are poised to prepare the sector to become an economic tool for transforming the economy.

One thing is certain, this new trend to tackle the challenges of funding for national projects, is a different approach from older and more radical versions of wealth creation such as double digit interest loans from Paris Club and sister entities.

Nigeria has become a reference point for safety and security in Africa – Aviation Minister

Aviation Nigeria

Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah has stated that Nigeria has become a reference point for safety and security in Africa.

The Minister made this assertion while presenting her scorecard at the 2013 Ministerial Platform in Radio House Abuja.

Oduah maintained that the current aviation facilities and standard of operation is not set to see safety and security as a destination, but as continuous process.

“Safety & Security is not a destination. We don’t stop, it is a continuous process” Oduah said.

The Minister also stated that agencies responsible for providing meteorological services were not common in Africa, and that the Nigerian Meteorological Agaency (NIMET) is still the first of its kind in Africa.

“Airlines in Nigeria now use scientifically informed weather forecasts for flying and we have re-enforced our search and rescue centers to curtail unexpected airline incidences” Oduah stated.

Oduah said the administration was looking forward to leaving Nigerians with World Class Terminals for local & international air transit, well secured and safe airports in the country, Very strong private sector driven National & Domestic Carriers, and a Self sustaining Aviation Sector that will contribute over 6% to Nigeria’s GDP growth.

The minister also commended the efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan for his support to the sector, adding that the aviation sector is currently 150% safer.

Oduah also said that the aviation sector was working towards building a vibrant domestic and national carrier for the nation.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku also stated that the aviation sector transformation under aviation minister Princess Stella Oduah is one which totally transformed the once docile sector.

“When men were Ministers in Aviation, our airports were like poultry sheds.” Labaran said.

Maku commended the efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan in the transformation agenda of the aviation ministry, adding that the Aviation Minister was the greatest testimony of what women can do in Nigeria, if given the position.