There is no doubt that political developments in the polity have preoccupied the minds of public commentators and pundits. Sensational stories like the 2016 Budget scandal rocking the House of Representatives, unending PDP crisis being fuelled by contradictory rulings of learned Justices of Federal High Courts, the Niger Delta imbroglio and other pressing national issues, have become sources of destraction to the populace.   But rather than these burning political issues, I prefer to take an inventory of key strategic sectors of the Nigerian economy, which is now in dire need of resuscitation and revival.

Hence, the reason I am in this article focusing attention on the aviation industry. I was prompted to do this by the deteriorating state of infrastructural facilities at the nation’s airports, gradual erosion of landmark legacies of previous administration in revamping this all-important sector and the inability of current managers of the aviation industry to come out with well-articulated Aviation Master Plan that would be in line with change mantra of the Muhammad Buhari-led government.

Not too long ago, there was national uproar on the status of Port Harcourt International Airport as the worst internationally acclaimed airport in Nigeria. The usage of make-shift tents to house passengers arriving from different countries of the world brought the insufferable decay in the country’s aviation sector to limelight. If a nation that prides itself as the largest economy in Africa could not maintain its airports- which serves as number one image maker to visitors- is it the more sophisticated issue of safety in aviation industry that it could guarantee her citizens and visitors?

As a result of policy somersault, the far-reaching reforms in the aviation sector embarked upon by administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, which was spearheaded by former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah,   have been abandoned by the current government. Over one consecutive year in power, Nigerians are eagerly waiting to see the aviation roadmap of the APC-controlled Federal Government.

I can recall that former President Jonathan hit the ground running immediately he was sworn in after the general elections of 2011. He appointed a capable hand in the person of Princess Stella Oduah(now a serving senator) to head the aviation ministry. Before her appointment, the Aviation Ministry was strictly reserved for stooges of political godfathers as an avenue to recoup money spent during elections. Our airports were nothing to write home about and the entire sector overtly became shadow of itself due to long years of neglect by past administrations. No one saw the urgency of transforming this industry not only into an economic hub—that would create job opportunities and wealth for our teeming unemployed graduates, but remodel the industry into a brand that would help uplift the image of Nigeria in the eyes of the international community.

Immediately after her call to serve as aviation minister, Princess Stella-Oduah invited tested aviation consultants with world class expertise who soon came out with well-conceptualised Aviation Master Plan, which was subsequently approved in January 2012 by former President Jonathan. Armed with this, Princess Stella Oduah kick-started a massive transformation of the nation’s moribund industry to what would have been a 21st century aviation industry, but for her premature exit as aviation minister following the hullabaloo over the purchase of bullet-proof cars for official assignments.

Be that as it may, Princess Oduah was able to leave an impressive and indelible footprint  within the short period she presided over the sector. For instance, the nation’s airports witnessed facelift via remodelling of 22 airports across the six geo-political zones. Additional five new international terminals were being constructed across Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano International Airports simultaneously. Apart from that, different perishable goods terminals were in the pipeline. It is very unfortunate that all these landmark projects  were aborted immediately Senator Oduah resigned her appointment, due to political pressures orchestrated by media propaganda surrounding the bullet-proof cars. It is now obvious that the noise about those cars emanated fromthose who were uncomfortable by her reforms in the industry and needed something to nail her with.

Few years down the line, Nigerians have realised that they threw away the baby with bath water. Aviation reforms have been grounded since her exit. Long years of neglect which her truncated tenure ended in the aviation industry, has returned. Senator Oduah’s transformational strides, which inspired the International Standard Organisation, ISO, to recognise the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, in 2013, as the only certified meteorological agency in West Africa is being diminished by non-sustainability of the Aviation Roadmap conceived by her.

Recently, during public hearing of the defunct Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Aviation, representatives of the Aviation Ministry led by the Permanent Secretary, Ms Binta Bello, made an emotional statement when she said: “She (Senator Oduah) started a very good job. Every airport was opened up. Well she’s sitting here. She may tell us where she got the funds. But records showed she got the money from intervention funds. Since she left, these intervention funds stopped. We depend on budget—capital project, we got very amount of money which can in no way take care of over 150 projects in our airports”. This assertion sums it up—the Nigerian Aviation industry lost its vision with the exit of Princess Stella Oduah as minister.

Successive ministers of Aviation have not found the vision and political will to sustain these reforms, because where there are no clearly spelt out vision and mission, the sector is bound to suffer policy convulsions and infrastructural degeneration. If the Aviation Roadmap initiated by Senator Oduah was sustained, income capability from aeronautical and non-aeronautical businesses from the remodelled airports would have skyrocketed. This would have helped to boost Nigeria’s economy in the face of dwindling prices of oil in international market, which is grossly affecting the nation’s mono-economy.

Income from a remodelled airport was estimated to increase by 400 per cent, as a result of revenues that would have accrued from the non-aeronautical businesses such as bookshops, eateries and other business structures being built at each of the airports.

The completion of the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport would have opened up the South East to the world of commercial activities and opportunities, owing to the fact that 80 per cent of Nigerian importers are from this geo-political zone. It could have reduced pressures on the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos by travellers from the South East and help in decongesting Lagos.

 Mr Nwobodo Chidiebere  , a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.