Senate tasks FG on domestic airlines

The Senate on Wednesday raised the alarm over the poor state of indigenous airlines operating in the country.

The upper chamber asked the government to halt without further delay the designation of multiple routes within country to foreign airlines.
It also resolved to invite the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to explain why foreign airlines are allowed to fly multiple routes within the country to mop up passengers in a manner that is not allowed in other countries.

It directed foreign airlines operating in the country to provide statistics of Nigerians in their employment with a view to encourage them to employ more Nigerians and partner with indigenous airlines in the country.

It prayed the Federal Government to give indigenous airlines necessary support and protection to keep them afloat while inviting the indigenous airlines operators to explain to the Senate the challenges they are facing in the aviation industry in the country as well as the way forward.

The resolutions followed that adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra South) titled “Unfair competition-urgent need to protect Nigeria’s indigenous airlines from extinction due to multiple designation and multiple frequencies granted foreign airlines in Nigeria.”

Senator Uba in the motion co-sponsored by 18 other senators noted that is saddened that foreign airlines engaged in domestic flights to the detriment of local airlines.

The Anambra South Senator noted that it was only in Nigeria that such practice happens.

He said that other countries have laws that protect their domestic airlines.

He noted that foreign airlines are now designated to multiple routes within Nigeria.
He said, “For example, Ethiopia Airlines operates in five cities namely; Enugu, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and Lagos; Turkish Airlines operates in four cities: Abuja, Lagos and Port-Harcourt and Emirates Airlines operates two frequencies daily into Lagos and one to Abuja.

He expressed worry about the fate of the indigenous airlines with the spate of multiple designations given to the foreign airlines.

Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe and his deputy Emmanuel Bwacha, in their separate contributions congratulated Senator Ubah for his effort to dig into the plight of indigenous airlines in aviation industry.

Senator Ayo Akinyelure attributed the dwindling condition of local airlines to Nigerian’s quest for foreign patronage.

He said, “As Nigerians, we believe in foreign goods and whatever we can do to support our local businessmen, we should do,

“If these local airlines are given the needed support, they can favourably compete with their foreign counterpart.

Senator Kabir Gaya suggested that foreign airlines should partner with local airlines in the country rather than “leaving the space for them to kill our own local airlines.”

Senator Rochas Okorocha noted that “what we are talking about here affect the image of the nation and wealth creation of the nation. About 70 per cent of revenue in the aviation industry comes from foreign airlines while indigenous airlines struggle with 30%.

He said, “One of the regret Nigeria has is that we don’t have a national carrier flying Green-White-Green and you will also be reminded that airlines encourages tourism.

“We all go to Dubai because of their functional airlines.”

Senator Betty Apiafi noted that there were interventions in aviation sector by the last administration, but intervention funds were misappropriated by airline owners.

She noted that foreign airlines were always doing better.

According to her, local operators of airlines should look inward with a view to sustaining their businesses.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, while also congratulating Senator Ubah for his “patriotic stance in promotion of indigenous industry and airline operations” ruled among other prayers, that the indigenous airline operators be invited to meet with the Senate ad-hoc committee at a later date to be agreed by the chamber.