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.
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