June 24, (THEWILL)- The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has explained that the airport concession proposal commenced in 2015 would be advertised this month for bidders to show interest after which qualified companies would be invited for profiling.
Everything concerning the process will close in August this year
Sirika hinted that the Federal Government will use between June and August this year to finalise the issue of airport concession in the country even as Labour continues to kick against the project.
The Minister, who revealed this in Lagos at the end of the Airport Business Summit and Expo on Thursday, assured that there would be no job loss but opportunities to engage more hands into the system.
Addressing stakeholders, Sirika maintained that, there was no need to sell the people’s asset but to concession them in a way that would enable them operate with a view to providing more revenue
He said the proposal would be presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in February 2022
He said all the agreement on concession was contained in the outlined proposal saying that it was in the interest of the people.
He explained that evaluated companies will be asked to present a proposal for engagement.
Sirika also assured Labour of dialogue to ensure that every issue concerning concession were addressed adding that no single worker will be laid off
He promised that all ongoing concessions would be allowed to finish their tenures before they would be reviewed
On tackling the present traffic gridlock between the domestic and local airport, Sirika said arrangement was on between the Lagos State Government and ministry to construct light rail from the Ikeja terminal through the local airports to the international airport.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
