Former aviation chief Dr Demuren faults Buhari's recent airline agreement with Qatar

FORMER director-general of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Dr Harold Demuren condemned the recently-signed bilateral air services agreement (Basa) signed between Nigeria and Qatar as one-sided and being inimical to Nigeria's interest.

 

Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari negotiated the agreement, which opened up air transport between the two nations, while on a state visit to Qatar. It was signed on Nigeria's behalf by the minister of state for aviation Captain Hadi Sirika, during the visit.

 

Among other things, the agreement is expected to pave way for more direct flights between major cities of both countries and establish the principle of reciprocity by the designated airlines of the countries. After signing the deal, Captain Sirika said that the accord would promote trade, commerce, tourism and travel, between both countries.

 

However, Dr Demuren argued that Nigeria presently had no airline that could compete favourably with Qatar Airways, thus making the agreement lopsided. He said the agreement would now give Qatar Airways, which currently has seven frequencies into Nigeria, more entry points into the country and further compounds the woes of Nigeria's domestic airlines.

 

Dr Demuren added: “It is good politics to sign Basa agreements but it is bad economics. Airline operation is an invisible trade as anytime you buy a ticket from a foreign airline, that money will be taken back in dollars, so each time you sign a Basa agreement, you are simply committing your foreign exchange because you will be putting pressure on our naira.

 

“Presently, Nigeria airlines cannot compete with Qatar Airways in terms of equipment, personnel, maintenance and other areas. I am not saying that we should not sign Basa but what I am saying is that if we must sign, we must know the content of what we are signing.”

 

According to Dr Demuren, in the past, international airlines that operated in Nigeria based on Basa's paid royalties which was how the government got some money in return for its investment. He added that presently, some of these airlines no longer pay royalties, thereby denying the federal government much-needed revenue.

 

Also speaking, at the same event in Lagos, a former managing director of the defunct Nigeria Airways, Andrew Okunuga, said the country should grow its domestic airlines to become international players, in order to benefit from such agreements. He added that Arik Air and Medview Airlines should have been present when the latest Basa with Qatar was signed.