John Nwokocha
17 August 2008
interview
Perhaps, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur more than anyone else is concerned about fast-tracking aviation sector development which he consistently gives hard knocks and warns that it risks imminent collapse unless drastic measures were taken. Sharp practises in the sector, ie, the aviation intervention funds had constituted serious threat to the survival of Nigerian aviation. But while sounding the alarm bell, Tukur, executive director, Afrijet airline passed confidence vote on the current leadership of the NCAA for shoring up IATA's recent rating of Nigerian aviation. He also was blunt on sundry issues arising from the sector. Enjoy excerpts of his assessment. Tukur is also a significant expert in the country's aviation industry with vast global knowledge of the sector
WHAT is your assessment of the sector in the last one year?
The aviation industry has suffered a lot let me say that apart from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority that did the re-capitalisation and tried to make things work in order to have some new generation aircraft in the country, trying to reach the position of category one in this country, we would say that the Nigerian aviation sector in the terms of communication and other facilities on ground is zero.
Already, after series of air crashes, the government released a lot of money to put those facilities in order. After issuing over N19 billion, under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the then minister for aviation failed to implement what the money was meant for. No new equipment was bought. Everything is just being abandoned, neglected. The money was taken away without addressing the problems. This led to the situation that we are in. This also led to a situation of argument, whether the missing aircraft was missing or that the aircraft has been stolen or taken away. Because if they have a system with a working equipment, I believe Lagos which is the control centre of the whole East would have detected what really happened because we have only two centres in this country.
We have Kano controlling from Abuja down to the North so that in any of these stations where aircraft take off, Kano will continue with that aircraft whether it descends to so-so level or go up to so-so level until you are approaching Lagos, then they are the ones to descend on you and hand you over to the Lagos station. Lagos would do the same and to all the airports. So, if they are the ones who are controlling and they (Lagos) cannot speak to other towers. What are we having? So, if you have that kind of situation, then the truth of the matter is that the aircraft can be taken away anywhere, any time. So, anything can happen not only that particular area tower. The presidency or Mr. President needs to know that he too is not safe because tomorrow his aircraft can disappear and nobody would know how that happened.
The issue of missing aircraft, is it an issue that we should not talk about at all?
The truth of the matter is that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria needs to come and explain exactly what is happening. It is beyond any other person to make any comment. There is a committee set up by Mr President under the National Security Adviser. So what did they do and what did they find out? Because if you don't have people who are sincere to themselves, then we have problem, because it is lack of sincerity that brings in all these issues. But we are in the country whereby anything goes.
The EFCC wanted to investigate the company, the next day, the aircraft gets missing. So, we as aviation experts working in the aviation sector, know the captain of that particular aircraft. He is somebody that I know. I looked at him as an elderly man with a house and family. Then I look at the value of the missing aircraft. How much would that aircraft cost that would make somebody to take that aircraft and run away. Is he not coming back to this country again. Or is it that the air-craft crashed because there was no facility and some people wanted to cover up something?.
That is because about N19 billion has been squandered by some people, then those people matter has to close. There are so many questions we need to ask ourselves. We know air craft do get missing in other parts of the world and that it does not take time before they are located. But I don't understand this particular case.
What is your take on the probe of the Aviation Intervention Fund which has landed some top ex-government officials into EFCC detention and trial?
I think because in the past there has been so many probes, and nothing came out of it, that is why people are feeling that nothing would still come out of this. But this one, when you look at it, the matter has already gone to court and people would not take it anywhere more than going to court. So, we pressured everybody is innocent until proven otherwise by court of law. When you look at what brought about the arrest of key officials, of the sector you would find out that there is serious problem there. The senate committee has done their job, make an investigation.
From the probe and trial of these key officials, what impact do you think it would have on the sector?
Well, there is a lesson to learn. At a particular conference we had sometime ago, the secretary general then informed the then managing director NAMA that "I am pitying you from what you are presenting and I am telling you that if another government comes into power, all of you would go to jail." Even some journalists asked me could it be that he was jealous of this men? Are they not in the court now. It is something that everyone can see. It is not hidden. It is something that we have seen long before. If the government wants to know everything, they would know it. If the other agencies are going to work they would work and they would know. So the unfortunate thing is that we allow these things to happen and later we try to check it. It is better we prevent or stop them from doing it because it will always affect us.
Cuts in. Anyway the matter is in the court, we don't need to say much about that. Despite the reforms in the sector yet there is not enough public confidence in the way the aviation industry is being run in Nigeria, recently Nigeria was rated in category two.What does that speak of our aviation?
Well, I think it is a very bad situation that we are rated in that category. As I said earlier, I hope Mr. President will give an opportunity for the aviation industry to move forward. He should forget about the issue of over N19 billion. The court can take care of that and get our money recovered. But the government needs to act as fast as possible to save the aviation industry from collapsing. Generally, all these projects of safe tower, are not the answer to the problems of the sector. What the industry should be looking for is a good communication and track-on system that can detect problems and the pilot and tower can communicate with any other tower in anywhere within the country which is what the NAMA MD is asking for and nobody is giving him support. They are bringing in all kinds of tower in order to siphone money not because really they wanted to address the real issue. So, I think the current minister of aviation recently visited Lagos to see things for himself and I believe that he has seen what the problem is and I hope that the federal government would give the minister the needed support to ensure that those areas are taken care of. If not I am sorry only God knows what will happen.
We are a country of about 140 million and from reports we are the highest travellers but we have only nine flight schedule operations in the country. Do you think that is sufficient for a country like ours?
It is not, because if you look at it before all these crashes occurring here and there at every thirty minutes you have a flight to Abuja. But now, you can't have that you have flight schedule of 7 a.m., 7.15, 8.00am, 9, 10, 11 and so on. The are airlines that are flying to Abuja six times daily like Belview, Chanchangi. Then you have others that flew may be four times a day. But today when you look at all those airlines, those who are operating six times daily may be, they can no longer make three times a day.
What is responsible?
It is lack of machine equipment. For instance, may be an operator may have eleven aircraft in possession but is now ending up with four. You have five aircraft but now, ending up with three. So, like Belview reduced their schedule to local more than what they were doing before. Now they concentrate on the international routes. So, that's another impact and when you look at the other airlines like Sosoliso, ADC, Fresh air, and Space world. They are no more flying. So, when you calculate the number of planes they have, it is making a lot of difference. So, no matter the number of the aircraft that are being brought in by Arik it is very difficult to cope with the problems within the system.
So, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is trying to see how many airlines are now requesting for license but the process of getting the license is not the one known to the people, before you take a phone and just make a call and now you have a license. It no longer work that way. You have to certified. Even those who wanted to run an airline earlier thought that they can just make a call to get a license to operate an airline. No. What we always try to explain to those people was that they should know that, nobody would help you to get a license. You are the one to qualify for that license.
Until you qualify for it, you have to put in everything in place.You must meet hundred percent requirement as spelt out by the NCAA. The new NCAA is not the kind of Civil Aviation Authority where you would come and with your bag of money you just get in and have your license, pay money and go. No, no it does not work that way.
But did they understand the need for the country to have as many airlines to serve the increasing passengers demand?
Well, they have to understand that now. The only thing that the Nigerian Civil Aviation authority needs to do is to ensure that those who met their requirements are given license to operate. If an operator comes in with interest to operate an airline and he has the capability and equally qualified, definitely you would get the license to operate.
The issue of human capital development as you rightly pointed out is a very serious one as far as aviation development is concerned, as a major player in the sector how do you really see it and what can be done to take care of that shortcoming?
We are saying that the government needs to assist in the area by may be giving scholarship to some people to acquire training but at the same time, the airlines themselves, should take the issue of capacity building seriously. This is so because with the so called privatisation, government does not really have a lot of role to play. So, what I am saying is that if there are any other area that either the federal or state governments have decided to invest some money in the training of youths in one area or the other because the industry does not have those people or other parastatals should try to do that.
At the same time the airlines themselves need to have a training programme in place. So, the NCAA has to use this opportunity to look at how many people the airlines are training in this area or that area, to enhance human capital development in the companies. For Afrijet, I know even the MD Captain Noel suggested that if the Nigerian College of Aviation is going to allow us buy some smaller aircraft for training. Then we would give it to NCAA and the Nigerian College of Aviation. Then we can agreed with them that these aircraft the services and every other thing would be under our own. But when we are going to be training people on pilotage, how much are we going to be paid so that we can pay little to pay them. Because what exactly people are looking for in such opportunity. If airlines can come together to form that kind of a thing, then you can train your manpower locally because, the cost of training them abroad is very expensive.
What is responsible for the delay by Afrijet to start operating passengers airline because several attempts had been made by the airline but it has refused to just kick start rather it has remained a cargo airline?
Well, it has to do with the delay that we have in operation process. When you have to start something, you have to start it gradually, gradually, for you to begin to make your survey. Now may be this is the right time.
If Afrijet started five years ago, with this situation on ground whereby you have an airline going to Abuja every now and then. One airline is going six times and another six times making twelve. So if you come during that time, we would not have what we have now. You would recalled that after recapitalisation, apart from ADC and Sosoliso, most airlines were grounded. So nobody can say they did meet the recapitalization requirements. It is only that the then government was not fair to them. When your aircraft and somebody would just emerge from somewhere and announced to you that you are grounded.
How can the aviation sector contribute to the actualisation of vision 2020?
The only way is that I know the plan of the government as regards the sector but from all indication, I believe Mr President has some good intention for the aviation sector. The sector has reached a certain stage whereby certain things cannot be even mentioned in the media because it is going to affect the security of the country. That is the truth, so, I would only seize this opportunity to call on the national security adviser to Mr. President and Mr President himself to take the aviation sector seriously because the situation is not what they are thinking. So, I think by the time they sat with the minister of aviation and listen to him and act immediately, if not we would all regret it.
How can stakeholders fastrack aviation development in Nigeria?
The only way is to allow the private partnership or encourage the system to operate effectively and efficiently. The issue here is some people are abusing the private partnership system as they most times collect money from the parastatlas without accounting for it. But whoever they are going to give "go and operate", let the process be open. The new airport operators after some years of operations can sell their shares to the public, so that it would become a national issue and the security of the country especially the airport should remain under the federal government or Federal Airport Authority.
So, if you bring in a private security system, one day a station manager would come and beat up somebody. They would not recognise them, the way they recognise the FAAN security. So, let them train, let's have he NDLEA, immigration, police in every airport if they are suppose to be there. But the security has to be under the federal government for every airport. For example federal airport security.
But can safety be guaranteed under a privately run aviation sector arrangement?
We have seen Arik Airlines and others doing very well. Everyone can see the changes they are making in the sector because basically they are ensuring that standard is maintained. If a private airline is bringing in standard aircraft into the country without government support, then the private sector should be a better option for us.
In terms of cargo handling, the sector is yet to find a solution to the issue of missing luggage, how can this be overcomed?
I think there is the need to put the cargo terminal in Lagos which is designed with moderate facilities. Also the whole system needs to be sanitized especially at Murtala Mohammed airport cargo terminal. I paid a visit to Ghana recently and I visited the cargo shop and I was taken round. I want to tell you that even the builder of that terminal is the current managing director of Aero-contractors. He did those fine works.
Everything, is hundred percent okay. Once your cargo arrives, you won't see people crowding the premises. Now. From your office, through your laptop, you open it and fill your form send it and print. After that, you go to a bank by yourself and pay and they would issue you your tally number. Then the next thing is for you to go and present your receipt to them at the store after which you would be attended to and you get your luggage and go home. That is the system in Ghana.
Everything is well organised. Nobody is involved and there is no waiver, their rates are well specified. The entire process would not take you more than thirty-minutes as the banks are there working. And when you are moving away your luggage, no customs or other government agencies would come and disturb you and say he is searching you. Every thing is working. If our sister country can do that, I wonder why the reverse is the case here. What you see here is crowd. So, I think the most important thing now is for the government to go into private sector partnership with specified agreement on a specific period they can operate.
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