FAAN inaugurates Aviation Cargo Road Map Development Committee

 

 

…appoints Ikechi Uko as coordinator

 

Posted by Sade Williams

 

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), on Monday, inaugurated Aviation Cargo Road Map Development Committee.

In his welcome speech, Managing director, FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, tasked the professionals in the committee to use their wealth of experience to drive the development of an implementable Aviation Cargo Road Map that will address the identified challenges with a view to moving the cargo business to a desired sustainable level in the short- to long-term.

While announcing Mr. Ikechi Uko, publisher, ATQ Magazine as coordinator of the committee, he said the inauguration of the committee is sequel to the communique issued at the end of first and second Aviation and Cargo Conference, tagged ‘CHINET, adding that FAAN plans to address the challenges identified to be hindering our capacity in processing enough Cargo freighting in our Airports.

” The decision to set up this Committee was muted by FAAN Management to address the challenges identified to be hindering our capacity in processing enough Cargo freighting in our Airports.
These challenges were articulated in the Communique issued at the end of the first Aviation and Cargo Conference in 2021, codenamed “CHINET ’21 and reechoed in CHINET 2022. I am happy today, because these challenges were identified by the various organizations represented in this Committee, I am about to inaugurate. My happiness is doubled or even tripled because looking at the array of names that constitute the membership of this Committee, I have no doubt, we made the right choices.

”I am convinced that as highly experienced Professionals in Cargo value chain that you will drive the development of an implementable Aviation Cargo Road Map that will address the identified challenges with a view to moving the cargo business from the level we are currently, to a desired sustainable level in the short- to long-term. It is our belief that your road map guideline will be able to address the ways by which our aviation cargo processing and facilitation will increase in volumes to rank us among the first or at least the second in Africa before or by the year 2027.”, he said.

Yadudu, who noted that currently, Nigeria is in the fifth position in Africa, having facilitated only 204, 649 Tons of Cargo in 2021, noted that the first airport, facilitated only 363,204 Tons in the same year and in Domestic Cargo, it  facilitated only 8,895 Tons in 2021.

He disclosed that by projections of 25% on year-on year incremental basis, Nigeria expects to be ranked first or second in Africa by or before the year 2027.

”With you, certainly, we can achieve this. May I inform you that most administrative bottlenecks identified by the various organizations are being considered at the Ministerial level. I can assure you that administrative challenges already identified will be rectified for more efficiency in our operations and logistics.”, he added.

Yadudu listed terms of reference for the committee to include :
To articulate action plans that meet international best practice and assign timelines for facilitation of cargo processing at our airports.
To articulate guidelines that meet international best practice for Public-Private Partnership in developing modern cargo infrastructures and facilities for optimum air-cargo facilitation that meets destination Country’s standard.
To articulate programs and incentives that will encourage mass participation of local airlines in domestic cargo facilitation.
To articulate mechanisms that will bridge the Turn-around time in cargo facilitation
To articulate solutions to lack of adequate insurance coverage in the cargo value chain.