July 07, (THEWILL) – The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, will lead aviation agencies’ Chief Executive Officers and key industry personalities and stakeholders at a discussion forum on how to wriggle the aviation sector out of its current challenges.
The forum, the 28th edition of the Annual Conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC), will take place on Friday, July 26, at the Providence Hotel in Ikeja GRA.
A statement confirming his participation noted that the LAAC conference, the leading discussion platform in the Nigerian aviation sector, will afford the Minister the opportunity to listen to stakeholders’ inputs and garner resources from them in his desire to return the sector to the path of glory.
The statement quoted Keyamo as saying, “Stakeholders remain a key component of my desire to reposition the aviation sector into its enviable path where the industry can stand shoulder-high with others on the global stage. I am aware that past recommendations from the LAAC Annual Conference have helped shape the course of the development of the sector positively.
“I have no doubt the deliberations and solutions proffer at the 2024 edition by the array of seasoned experts and stakeholders at this year’s edition will make my job as the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development a simple task”
The Minister added that the theme of the conference, “Aviation Survivability Amidst a Challenging Macro-economic Environment”, couldn’t have come at a better time as the Ministry is poised to ensure every obstacle is addressed to reposition the sector.
A statement by the Chairman and Secretary of the organising committee, Chinedu Eze and Albinus Chiedu, respectively, noted that the event will be chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of CITA Group, Dr. Thomas Ogungbangbe, while a former Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Hamisu Yadudu, will moderate the sessions.
The document disclosed that the Managing Director of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr. Umar Farouk, will deliver the keynote speech while the panel session will include the Ag. Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo; Managing Director/Chief Executive, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku and Dr. Wale Babalakin, Chairman, Bicourtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) as members.
It added that a former Rector of the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Capt. Samuel Caulcrick and the Second Vice President, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Dr. Alex Nwuba, will be speaking.
According to the statement, other dignitaries at the panel session include the Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and Mr. Olaniyi Adigun, Chairman of the Association of Ground Handlers of Nigeria (AGHAN).
The theme of this year’s conference was informed by the challenging state of Nigeria’s economy, which has amplified the already existing constraints to the growth and development of Nigeria’s aviation in the form of poor access to forex, weakening currency, high fuel costs, maintenance costs, poor airports infrastructure, regulatory constraints, growing manpower demands, technology upgrade, passenger comfort, among other issues that require urgent attention of industry stakeholders
“The LAAC 2024 Annual Conference will stand out from the past editions because of the aptness of issues to be discussed and the quality of industry leaders and dignitaries that will be available to brainstorm on how the industry can navigate through the existing growth constraining challenges, especially aspects that have to do with economics,” the statement added.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
