International Flights Resume As Concession Plan Runs into Turbulence |The Source

By Uche Mbah

Indications are that international flights will all resume as the Federal Government has approved the resumption of flights by the international airlines affected by the COVID 19 pandemic.

Initially, the FG had ordered selective entry into Nigeroa’s airspace after the Covid lockdown, with the major European carriers being affected. Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM were worse hit in a tit-for-tat action by Nigeria.  They are expected to resume flights  based on the directive of the Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.

Consequently, international Airports are expected to be opened for operations. Currently, only Lagos, Abuja is open for international flights. Efforts are currently on to see to the reopening of Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Kano.

Indications are that these airports may be reopened for the Yuletide season.

Enugu has recently completed the renovation of the runways, which was stalled by the emergence of the Covid 19 pandemic.

A statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs Ministry of Aviation, James Odaudu, said: all International flight Operations will open before the end of the year. According to him, the health authorities are liaising with the Ministry for the Covid 19 protocol observation.

In a related development, the concession plans by the Aviation Ministry may have run into hitches due to what some insiders call crisis of “concession within a concession”. A clause in the agreement between the Federal Government  and Chinese firm, Chinese Engineering Construction Company, CECC, has militated against this since it will breach their contract, which is considered as an already made concession agreement with China. Whatsmore, indications are that Nigeria international airports are part of the loan agreement with  China, with the Airports serving as collaterals, meaning that if Nigeria defaults, the Airports will be taken over by the Chinese government.

For this reason, the Chinese government is said to be opposed to any concession plans by the Nigerian government.

Nigeria has been mulling the concession of the three major airports, Lagos, Abuja, and Kano.