Ibom Air and the aviation crisis
Akin Omobowale writes that the state-owned airline is making a difference in air transportation
When he mulled the idea of a commercial airline, many scorned the move as dead on arrival in the light of awry experiences of airline projects that ended as white Elephant projects. But like an experienced Sailor on the high sea, who is vast about the water terrain despite the turbulence of waves, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom state ignored criticisms and sailed on.
Today, he is celebrated as a visionary leader and seasoned administrator in the way he birthed Ibom Air and the strong corporate governance put in place to insulate the airline from the vagaries of politics and other interferences.
As Nigeria faces crisis in the aviation sector, Ibom Air which was written off by critics at inception has come to the rescue of many air travellers. Adjudged as one of the best airlines in Nigeria, Ibom Air has continued to maintain quality of service with minimal hassle for customers.
The airline is reputed for keeping to flight time.
The Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, while speaking on the myriad of challenges confronting the Aviation sector said domestic airlines are contending with how to source forex for their operations, how to source fuel and the devaluation of the naira which has caused a depletion in passenger traffic and increase in flight fares.
He said "This is a critical period because of the rising cost of aviation fuel and it is of serious concern to us. The Minister of Aviation and the Minister of Finance are making efforts to ensure that some form of alleviation can be gotten for the airlines for the sustainability of their operations. It is truly a pathetic picture. We don't refine Jet A1 in Nigeria and the conflict in Ukraine has brought about the sudden increase in the price.
"At the same time, the naira is getting devalued, so it is a double jeopardy on the airlines. They get all their revenue in naira and at the same time, dollars are not even readily available. So it is creating a huge problem for the industry and what we are facing now is a financial and economic crisis. But all the relevant government organisations and stakeholders are working very hard to resolve the matter. In all, we are ensuring that safety is a priority".
The above scary realities that have brought the aviation sector on the edge is worrisome to all stakeholders including the Nigerian government. The imminent loss of jobs and the collapse of other ancillary service outfits whose survival depends on the sector are crises that should be averted at all cost.
What of loss of revenues to the government that is in dire need of more money to fund its budget and the heat on the economy as many business deals would be halted as a result of inability to connect physically? But what many states including the federal government are struggling to pull through, Udom Emmanuel did and positioned the airline on a sustainable path. He remarked, "Please pardon me if I get a little emotional, the reason would not be far-fetched. When we first mooted the idea for the establishment of Ibom Air, we were laughed and sneered at by many naysayers. To them, we were day- dreamers, because in their estimation, if the federal government could not establish a national carrier, how then could we, a mere subnational with no corresponding control over policy be able to pull off such a huge project?
Besides, the airline has been expanding in a remarkable way. Governor Emmanuel visited Dubai to ink an agreement for the purchase of additional Airbus Aircraft. "We started with an initial three CRJ 900 Bombardier aircrafts, later added additional two, bringing the fleet, then, to five, and earlier this year (2021), added two brand new Airbus 220-300 Series bringing our total fleet to seven. We have also increased our routes from an initial Uyo-Abuja-Lagos-Uyo to other cities such as Calabar, Port Harcourt, and Enugu.
"In less than three years after it commenced commercial operations, Ibom Air has become a dominant force in Nigerian aviation industry, flying the colours of Akwa Ibom State within the Nigerian aviation space and proving cynics wrong who thought we were embarking on what they call in my country a " white elephant project.".
The Emmanuel administration has also upgraded critical aviation infrastructure in Akwa-Ibom State. "In preparations for the new Airbuses for our operations, my administration has invested heavily in the construction of a brand new Terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport, Ibom Air's operational hub. The terminal which promises to be the most intelligent and modern in Nigeria and possibly in Africa will be commissioned in 2022.
"When completed, it will serve as the launchpad for the airline's expansion and strategic engagements, serving as its hub in handling both the domestic and international passengers.
"We are not just investing in only aircrafts; we are undertaking complete and total aviation development programmes. We have equally invested heavily in a large Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the same home- based airport, which we hope to commission in 2022.
"The MRO facility will provide a proper, hi-tech maintenance base for Ibom Air to be able to carry out all of its maintenance of the A220 fleet. We also plan to invest in a modern cargo terminal to facilitate the processing of cargo through the Victor Attah International Airport.
"These careful and thought-through strategic investments are being made to support the growth and stabilization of Ibom Air, and enable the airline to deliver on its high economic expectations of the shareholder, the Government and the people of Akwa Ibom State".
Governor Emmanuel certainly has become a poster boy for good governance. Aside from the iconic Ibom Air and the supporting aviation infrastructure, over 1700 kilometres of economically viable roads across the state that help in ease of transportation of agricultural produce from villages to urban centres have been constructed.
The government also built the First Led factory at Itam, first Shoprite at Ibom Tropicana, the Automobile Assembly Plant at Itu and DAAR Communications Broadcasting Complex, Abak, among others.
In order to accelerate growth in the education sector, Governor Emmanuel held the first ever Education Summit where experts and other stakeholders reviewed the education template in the state and consequently realigned it to modern standards.
Now, emphasis is laid on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to build the manpower required for the industrialized Akwa-Ibom State.
The critical youth demography is not left out of the development mix of the governor. Youth Empowerment Programmes (AKEES) established by the Udom Emmanuel Administration to take jobless youths off the streets which has substantially contributed to the improved security and peaceful co-existence of the people of the state.
