* To source $500m loan from China
Aviation workers in Nigeria are currently in dilemma over the recent decision of the Federal Government to build four aerotropolis in the country.
According to the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, a loan of 500 million US Dollars would be sourced from China to build the four aerotropolis in four major cities of Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Kaduna.
But fresh facts emerged on Friday that aside the Chinese loan, the Minister of Aviation, Oduah, has tasked each agency in the aviation sector to contribute 600 million naira towards the project.
Agencies in the sector include the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA,, the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB and the Nigeria Meteorological Services, NIMET.
Should the five agencies cough out 600 million naira each, it would amount to N3 billion that would be raised for the project from the aviation parastatals.
An aerotropolis is a complete airport with all needed facilities like hotels, water and rail ways to make up for air travelers comfort and needs as occasion may demand.
But aviation workers are worried over the sudden ‘tax’ which they said has stunted the growth of the agencies in the recent time.
For instance, NAMA staff said the Federal Government’s order for a contribution of 600 million naira towards the aerotropolis project was a lethal therapy for an agency which has found it difficult to engage in needed manpower training in the last two years.
According to a technical staff who spoke on condition of anonymity, training has been stopped in NAMA in the last two years even as modern equipment is being procured in the quest to meet up with the advanced climes in the area of total radar coverage and other relevant safety matters.
“It is sad that we are engaging in this white elephant project at a time when manpower training is most needed to make the staff be on top of the new equipment they are currently working with. It is difficult to understand the rationale behind the aerotropolis project at this time when the same government is indulging in the remodeling of existing airports in the cities the aerotropolis are to be built.
Pundits in the aviation sector have also described the aerotropolis project as a white elephant one in view of the country’s aviation rating and the available safety mechanism on ground.
They wonder why an administration with less than two years to the end of its current tenure is so desperate about a gigantic project that would gulp such a quantum of fund.
