By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Minister of State for Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, has emphasised that Federal Government will not change its mind on plans to concession major airports in the country.
Few days ago, Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, dropped the bombshell when he said government has agreed to allow private sector operate the airports for efficiency.
Speaking today in Abuja, the Minister of State for Aviation said it was clear that government was unable to maintain the 22 airports across the country, and that it was the best interest of all to allow the private sector revitalise the aviation sector.
However, he promised that the process would be made very transparent.
“At the time the concession of some government assets started, we were not knowledgeable in what concession entails but today we have the knowledge and it will be transparently done with active participation of workers in both the delivery and the steering committees to drive this process,” Mr Sirika told State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, by the Vice President.
He added, “I have to say that we have been meeting with them but the policy of the government is that we cannot fund aviation infrastructure today through public budgets. The money is not there. We intend to get the private sector to come and put in their money.”
“The policy has been done that it will go through concession, to give to some individuals who will build, operate, maintain, sustain, make money and the government will also make money in the process and the airports will be returned to the government after a number of years between 20 to 25 years. This will be transparently done; this is the catch phrase, so we are proceeding,” the Minister noted.
Aduragbemi Omiyale