Concessionaire Formerly Takes Over Asaba Airport

Chinedu Eze

The Delta State government has formerly handed over the Asaba International Airport to the Asaba Airport Company Limited, the company that won the concession bid. In a brief ceremony the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Patrick Ukah, who represented Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa said the six months transition period had ended.
He said the state government was happy about the concession model, which the federal government and other state governments have been studying to copy.

After receiving the handover documents, the Chairman of Asaba Airport Company Limited, Mr. Adebisi Adebutu said the transition had been fantastic and seamless, adding that so far it was a fantastic relationship.
Adebutu assured that in the concession agreement and partnership the government would benefit, the people would benefit and the objective for the enterprise would be realised.

The SSG was accompanied by a number of advisers including Senior Policy Adviser, Professor Slyvester Monye, the man who drove to concession to fruition.
On the Asaba Airport Company Limited team were the Executive Director Business Development/Government Relations, Okey Nelson Moore, Executive Director, Finance, Mr. Eyo, Group HR, Tayo Akinpelu, Group Project Manager, Ola Oluwa, Managing Director, Asaba Airport company, Christophe Pinnick and General Manager Operations, Linol Thorne.

The Concession agreement, which was signed in February 2021, would run for 30 years.
Prior to the ceremony the concessionaire has positioned to make the airport to wear a new look. Car parks lights, which were nonexistent, had been installed and 120 staff employed and trained to put the airport in full operation.

Passengers enjoyed a free wifi within the arrival and departure halls.
For the first time, the concessionaire has been able to attract a Ground Power Unit (GPU) to the airport through Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO, the handling company.
The concessionaire had paid one N1 billion to the state government when the agreement was signed, and would pay an annual fee of N100 million, while the agreement subsists.

The Asaba Airport Company Limited, the concessionaire is a consortium that has technical partners which include Air Peace as the anchor airline and MRO operator, Multifreight Cargo and logistics for cargo and logistics centre, Rainoil Ltd and Cybernetic Ltg to develop tank farm and supply Aviation fuel, Arbico construction company to build business park, hotel and convention centre and Quorum Aviation Ltd to develop private jet and helicopter terminal of the airport.

According to the Managing Director of the new company, three airlines – Air Peace, United Nigeria Airline and Aero are currently operating into the Airport, adding that Air Peace would increase its daily flights.
He said Ibom Air, Dana Air and Arik have indicated interest to operate into the airport.

FG to partner Hungarian Coy for Aircraft Manufacturing in Nigeria
The federal government has expressed its readiness to partner with the Magnus Aircraft Manufacturing industry in Hungary to establish an assembling plant and begin to manufacture in Nigeria from start to finish before the end of the Buhari administration.

The Minister of Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika, expressed the interest when he paid an inspection visit to the Magnus Aircraft Industry in Pogany, Hungary.
He said: “If we venture we them, we may start with assembling plant and later manufacturing, ”adding that the Magnus aircraft is an aeroplane that is good for military training, has an aerobatic manoeuvre and is made of fully composite materials high strength and very lightweight.
Aerobatics is the practice of flying manoeuvres involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight. Aerobatics are performed in airplanes and gliders for training, recreation, entertainment, and sport.

Sirika further said he was very satisfied with the features and more than willing to facilitate the production of the aeroplanes in Nigeria, saying one of the significant features of the Magnus aircraft is that it uses normal car petrol and outperforms any training aircraft of its kind.”
The Minister who was at the facility on the invitation of the company, said the proposed partnership with the aircraft manufacturer would be subjected to further analysis to verify the market and government willingness to partner with a significant amount of money and logistics.

He emphasized that the local production of aircraft in the country would facilitate the growth of Nigeria as a regional aviation super power as it will also come with maintenance and repair facilities that will attract patronage from neighbouring countries.
According to him, the present administration has created an attractive environment for international investors in Nigeria, especially in the aviation sector, with the ongoing implementation of the development roadmap, which places emphasis on public private partnerships.

Dana Air Official Bag Security Consciousness Awards
Dana Air and its Chief Security Officer have been awarded Best Security Conscious Airline and Best Security Conscious Chief Security Officer at a Security Conference and Awards ceremony organised by International Institute of Professional Security in Abuja.

According to the Director General of the Institute, Dr Tony Ofoyetan, ‘‘we commend the awesome efforts of Dana Air in ensuring passenger safety and comfort over the years in the Nigerian airspace.
”In recognition of Dana Air’s safety and security record, and the efforts of her Chief Security Officer, Mr. Edwin Ossai, the institute is giving an award of excellence as the Best Security Conscious Airline and the distinguished Security Personnel Awards respectively.”

The airline’s Abuja station Manager, Ms. Anthonia Aneke while receiving both awards on behalf of the airline and the Chief Security Officer, said, Dana Air is resolute in ensuring the safety, comfort and security of its passengers.
”We appreciate this award and this surely encourages the entire team to keep up not just the efforts and achievements thus far, but the eagle eye views with which we have ensured the safety and security of our customers.”

The award is the second security excellence award that the airline is receiving from the institute. The first was in 2015
Dana Air is one of Nigeria’s leading airlines with a mixed fleet of 9 aircraft and over 36 daily flights from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Owerri.