Ojikutu, who disclosed this yesterday at a press conference held in Lagos, said the money was generated from royalties, Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), landing and parking charges, among others.
He said the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had been short of about 200 air traffic controllers pointing out that the few ones working were being over stretched.
He therefore advised that funds generated from the industry should be channelled into the area of safety and security.
Also speaking, the chief executive of Aero Consult Ltd, Mr. Babatunde Obadofin, urged the new minister of aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka to ensure that the issue of regulation is strengthened more than ever to sustain the country’s Category 1 status.
He also called on the minister to support and strengthen the private operators by designating them as flag carriers stressing that it would enhance the capacity of domestic carriers for global competiveness.
“The overdependence on Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt airports should be looked into as efforts should be made to support and encourage domestic carriers to ply domestic routes currently abandoned for reasons of low passenger traffic.
“Airport projects across the country should not be abandoned. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) should also be assisted to embark on the expansion of the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport projects. The lingering issue of suitable aircraft maintenance facilities for medium and long haul aircraft should be revisited. This should be a public-private partnership project to help the survival of domestic airlines, improve and secure manpower needs and stop or reduce capital flight. In fact we implore the minister to ensure that the Akwa Ibom Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility should be put to full use and can indeed be a platform for meeting our MRO needs,” he added.
He noted that the issue of manpower training which to a great extent guarantees continuity and development of the system should be emphasised always.
Besides, Obadofin called on the federal government to look into the high cost of aviation fuel (Jet-A1) and ensure its affordability.
“As an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) contracting state, Nigeria has a responsibility to work in accordance with international standards and recommended practices and respond to the expectations of the international body as entrenched in the convention. In so doing, Nigeria will portray the good image that produced the present Nigerian president of the ICAO Council,” he said.
