By Wole Oyebade

Some stakeholders in the aviation sector, including members of the National Assembly, are worried that investors from some Middle East countries are expressing interest in the planned concession of Nigerian airports.

The Guardian learnt that the interests thus far received from countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are bothering the stakeholders because of the security implication for Nigeria and alleged "northern agenda" currently put forward either by coincidence or deliberately in the concession buildup.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently granted approval for the concession of the four international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano. The approval, currently being worked out by the Ministry of Aviation, is the first phase of the plan to concession all the 22 Federal Government-owned airports nationwide.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, last week recounted the gains of President Muhammadu Buhari's recent visit to Turkey and among the mentioned is the expression of interest by Turkish investors.

Besides Turkey, Saudi and Qatari investors have also shown interest in the multi-million dollar concession arrangement. At one of the public hearings held last Thursday, members of the National Assembly joint committee on aviation got worried about the antecedent of a country like Turkey that has lately been embroiled in political unrest, as well as serving as a channel through which arms and ammunition were smuggled into Nigeria.

While the Turkish authorities have denied having a hand in the arms-trafficking saga, aviation experts are wary of future transactions with investors with Turkish interests.

A member of a civil society organisation, who was at the hearing, said some lawmakers were of the view that if the biddings were restricted to the middle east, then it will not get the buy-in of Nigerians who "will see it as coloured by a northern and religious agenda."

Aviation union members present at the meeting said it was to prevent the airports from falling into the wrong hands that they demanded to be part of the concession process for transparency. The unions were, however, happy that the Federal Government has promised to ensure transparency by involving them.

On the implication of such concerns for the concession plan, aviation security consultant, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), said he was as disturbed as the lawmakers, though he was quick to add that it was still early to conclude.

Ojikutu told The Guardian that "whereas we cannot but be skeptical with the biddings, expression of interest is also coming from Europe and Canada, and all need to be patient."

He said from his conversation with the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, there were several hurdles in the concession process and it was less likely that the wrong bidders would be able to grab a pie in the exercise.

Ojikutu, who is also the Secretary General of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), said: "I am as worried as you, no doubt about that. The National Assembly is also as worried. I think, from what I've heard, the minister too is very cautious with what he is doing. Just the way he handled the Abuja airport's runway is the way he is handling this.

"From the look of things now, they have not left the level of getting the consultants of about three or four to package things together. When they get to that stage, there must be a stakeholders' meeting, and there would be. It is not only the concession, but also the national carrier, maintenance facility and aerotropolis that are being packaged.

"So, it is too early to start speculating because in any case, all these things will still have to go through the infrastructure concession commission, the PPP, Ministry of Justice and then the Federal Executive Council for approval.

"But in lieu of the security concerns, I have advised them to focus on concession of the terminals, cargo sections and car parks among others, but not the aeronautical side. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has even warned African countries since 2009 not to concession aeronautical side in the light of security issues around us," Ojikutu said.

omohayek:
By God, the NASS is full to the brim with f**king idiots! These numbskulls clearly have no idea that the Saudi and Qatari sovereign wealth funds are among the biggest and most credible investors in the world, with religious claptrap playing no part in their investment plans. The Saudi and Qatari funds have met with no opposition even in investment-attracting countries like the UK and the USA, despite these being on the frontlines against Al Qaeda and ISIS, but a bunch of imb.eciles in the NASS expect them to be wasting their time on "northernization" in a shithole like Nigeria Talk about an inflated sense of importance!

If these wastes of oxygen had a clue about anything other than outsized allowances and "constituency funds" they can embezzle, they would be focusing on making sure the bidding for the airports was both open and competitive, with participation from as many deep-pocketed, experienced international investors as possible. Instead the buffoons throw up ridiculous obstacles to the few serious foreign investors who have even hinted at being interested ...

omohayek:
By God, the NASS is full to the brim with f**king idiots! These numbskulls clearly have no idea that the Saudi and Qatari sovereign wealth funds are among the biggest and most credible investors in the world, with religious claptrap playing no part in their investment plans. The Saudi and Qatari funds have met with no opposition even in investment-attracting countries like the UK and the USA, despite these being on the frontlines against Al Qaeda and ISIS, but a bunch of imb.eciles in the NASS expect them to be wasting their time on "northernization" in a shithole like Nigeria Talk about an inflated sense of importance!

OreMI22:
The APC regime has been plotting how to deny the Southeast any international airport.

They have removed Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu from the list of international airports in Nigeria.
The next move is to stop international flights in the airport.

omohayek:

By God you're stupid! Is Boris Johnson, the former Mayor of London, a Muslim? Is Bill de Blasio, current Mayor of New York, a Muslim too? Do you know both of them have gone out of their way to cultivate these kinds of investors? Who knew that the late Duke of Westminster, who did so much business with the Qataris, was an adherent of Islam? Did Margaret Thatcher secretly abandon Methodism so her son could do business in Saudi Arabia? Maybe all the Scandinavian, German and Silicon Valley companies looking for Middle Eastern investments are also run by Muslims too, at least in your book? Do I have to switch to Lutheranism before I advocate for Norway's sovereign wealth fund as well? How exactly does all of this worked in your cramped little mind?

You're a f**king im.becile of the first order, and an incurable religious bigot to boot, too lazy to even follow the Wikipedia links I provided to inform yourself before typing the idiotic rubbish you posted - if you'd taken the few minutes to actually read the articles, and maybe even taken the unparalleled step of doing a Google search or two of your own volition, you wouldn't have rushed to embarrass yourself by projecting your own infantile religious prejudices onto me while exposing your total ignorance for the world to see. One of the reasons I curse the very existence of Nigeria as a "nation" is that it means my people are not only held back by the ignorance, laziness and arrogance of the northerners, but also by bigoted fools like you who can't understand how people of differing religions can not just live together in peace, but actually intermarry and socialize on an intimate basis without incident. To hate-filled dullards who only see the worst in people outside their own narrow little sects, anyone with a broader mindset has to be a "Muslim" ...

EternalTruths:
Why is Enugu international airport not part of the concession.?


Something is fishy about this concession.

EternalTruths:
Why is Enugu international airport not part of the concession.?


Something is fishy about this concession.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently granted approval for the concession of the four international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano. The approval, currently being worked out by the Ministry of Aviation, is the first phase of the plan to concession all the 22 Federal Government-owned airports nationwide.

Blue3k:




They are waiting till next phase to concession Enegu. What's fishy specifically.

Obi1kenobi:


Chai! See finishing, sha.

Softly, softly o, bro. People can commit suicide these days after this kind of verbal assault.

Blue3k:




They are waiting till next phase to concession Enugu. What's fishy specifically.

ChimaAgbalajob:


Of course abookis will like and defend the non inclusion of Akanu I biam intl. airport when the other intl. Airports were included because they are so bitter that SE will have international airport. So they will do everything to show they dont recognize Enugu as one of the international airports in Nigeria.

You clannish wicked people are killing Nigeria and I'm loving it because everyone now see your intention in Nigeria

omohayek:
By God, the NASS is full to the brim with f**king idiots! These numbskulls clearly have no idea that the Saudi and Qatari sovereign wealth funds are among the biggest and most credible investors in the world, with religious claptrap playing no part in their investment plans. The Saudi and Qatari funds have met with no opposition even in investment-attracting countries like the UK and the USA, despite these being on the frontlines against Al Qaeda and ISIS, but a bunch of imb.eciles in the NASS expect them to be wasting their time on "northernization" in a shithole like Nigeria Talk about an inflated sense of importance!

If these wastes of oxygen had a clue about anything other than outsized allowances and "constituency funds" they can embezzle, they would be focusing on making sure the bidding for the airports was both open and competitive, with participation from as many deep-pocketed, experienced international investors as possible. Instead the buffoons throw up ridiculous obstacles to the few serious foreign investors who have even hinted at being interested ...

Blue3k:



Is it part of your culture to always cry like babies? You already read they are doing all 22 airports and you're still whining. Lol the airport is an international airport concessioned or not genius.

ChimaAgbalajob:


......and is it part of your culture to always cheat try to cheat shamelessly and always use silly deceit to reap where you did not sow ?

If your intentions were not deceitful, [b]why not allow the investors choose which of the five international airports to invest their money? [/b]Instead of deliberately removing only Enugu international airport from the concession list ?

Why didn't you remove Kano airport to concession it later?

Yeye dey smell.

Blue3k:


Lol still crying. The airports belong to Nigeria the federal government concessions them as they see fit in what ever order. The FEC gave OK for the four wait your turn stop crying. If that's too hard drown in your tears.

ChimaAgbalajob:


Cry for what?
Is this the first time Fulanis have conspired to keep the southeast undeveloped? Bottomline, you guys will still fail in your evil plots. I also love that you guys openly display such hatred towards infrastructure in the east because it proves to some doubting thomases that your wicked designs are real and not just a fluke.

Nigerians are gradually waking up to the grand design of fulani to pocket the country starting from the 1999 constitution they wrote in secret. Its only a question of time and people will begin to opely resist the absurdities and the situation will be untenable for you people to implement your grand conspiracy on Nigeria

Blue3k:


Yawn deomelo can you ask this guy why his type begged federal government to build the airport in the first place knowing how badly they run the others. None of the SE states thought to build their own and concession it on their own like Osun. Maybe build and manage it like Akwa Ibom. No just whine about Fulani's.

It's funny your whining boils down to being part of phase 2 concessions. It's 1 of 18 airports and your feeling are so hurt over it. Keep crying about "conspiracies" and "hatred".