…Wants NCAA to beam searchlight on fuel suppliers
Posted by Sade Williams
As part of ways to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal on the aviation sector, chairman, United Nigeria Airline (UNA), Pro. Obiora Okonkwo has suggested a N250 billion soft loan for the sector.
Speaking at the Annual All Markets Conference of Indigboamaka Progressive Market Association with the theme: ‘Catalysing Partnership with Traders through Innovation, Technology, Analytical, and Sustainability, he said such amount would go a long way in boosting the economy through the sector and not grants or free money as planned by the federal government.
According to the UNA boss, government should rather look at how it could use the savings from the fuel subsidy to strengthen business owners in the private sector in order to stimulate the economy and create wealth.
“I am one who always supports anything that can be done to help the people, I advise that if government has made up its mind to do that, (give out N500bn as palliative to Nigerians), there must be transparency and ensure that it gets too who needs it. However, I will always advise that giving palliative, handouts is never a solution to our problems, they should look at how they will use the savings from the fuel subsidy to strengthen business owners and the private sector, to stimulate the economy, to create wealth.
“If the Federal Government can set aside about N250 billion for the aviation sector as soft loans, not grant or free money to the aviation sector, what it means is that there will be more aircraft, which can be deployed to some of the new routes. It can also energize and capitalize on us going to the international routes.
“The outcome is that there will be more people employed, revenue generation by the airlines and the government will make more money. Flying overseas will bring about foreign exchange earnings and it will reduce the pressure. By and large, it will help people who don’t have jobs. This is not palliative, it will increase revenue, create wealth. My take is that while government is taking the other side of the handout, it is also important that they use the resources to strengthen the private business owners, these are the people who used their guaranteed capital to create wealth, jobs and grow the economy”, he said.
Speaking on the the fuel contamination saga involving Max Air, he urged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to increase surveillance of aviation fuel suppliers, saying that the Authority should only licence companies that meet the required standards supply Jet A1 to airlines.
“There are certain measures that are taken to before you accept or reject fuel. But more or less, while the crew are being , I will expect that the NCAA carry out audit on the suppliers, we have been calling for this audit before and ensure that anybody who has the permit to supply fuel to airlines is properly audited, and comply with rules. We don’t have to wait for incident, we can also control them before they cause any damage”, he added.
