Accomplishments of an Aviation Icon as She Hands Over

 Immediate past Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah has commended President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, workers and Stakeholders in the aviation sector for the opportunity to serve the country and for the tremendous support given to her during her two and a half years' stewardship as Aviation Minister. Oduah made the commendation shortly after officially handing over to the Supervising Minister and current Minister of State, Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortom, JP

She said that." It was a great privilege to be chosen from amongst over 160 million Nigerians to serve in the Federal Cabinate. My profound gratitude goes to Mr President who provided me with this rare privilege. I also want to thank him for all the support he acorded me to pursue his Transformation Agenda in the Aviation Sector. I equally wish to thank my personal aides, aviator sector workers and stakeholders who partnered with me to realize our Vision and Mission in the sector", 

Oduah declared, continuing:

"During my tenure, we gave our best to institute reforms in line with Mr President's Transformation Agenda.
 - We produced the Aviation sector Master plan and implementation Road Map. Using the Master Plan and Road Map, we were able to reconstruct and remodel all 22 federally-owned airports across the country. We also commenced the construction of five new international terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano.
-We also introduced the Perishable Cargo and Aerotropolis concepts to drive the growth and development of not only the aviation sector, but also the Nigerian economy. 
-Construction of the cargo terminals has commenced across 16 airports across the country while           -modalities have been completed to kick-start the Aerotropolis project. 
-We also carried out institutional reforms, built the capacity of NCAT to produce enough professionals both for the local aviation market and for export.
-"My greatest satisfaction comes from our accomplishments in the area of safety and security of the Nigerian airspace. We were able to procure, update and install safety-critical infrastructure that has repositioned the sector to achieve our objective of zero-accident rate in the Nigerian airspace.

The former Minister said the reforms instituted during her tenure will no doubt propel the sector to greater accomplishments and expressed the hope that her successor will sustain the tempo and momentum of transformation in the interest of the sector, the air travelers and the Nigerian economy.

Joe ObiFormer SA (Media) to immediate past Minister of Aviation

PERISHABLE CARGO, AEROTROPOLIS, THE FUTURE OF NIGERIAN AVIATION - ODUAH

*As Sen. Henshaw hails transformation in Aviation sector.

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah has declared that the perishable cargo and aerotropolis initiative hold the key to the true development of the Nigerian Aviation sector. Oduah was speaking in Calabar weekend during an inspection tour of the newly-remodeled Chief Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar.

Aviation, the Minister contended, has the brightest potential, through the aerotropolis and perishable cargo programmes, to bring about a bottom-up growth and development of the Nigerian society. She said the perishable cargo terminal at the Calabar airport will provide a platform for farmers in the state and the neighbouring communities to live a good life beyond mere survival or existence. 

''Cross River state is known for her agricultural produce ranging from pineapples, bananas, plantain, cocoa, yam, cassava, etc. Today, much of what the farmers produce here is either grossly under-priced or rots away as a result of lack of local capacity to absorb the huge harvest. But with the perishable cargo taking off here in a matter of months, farmers will begin to secure real value for their hard work as their farm produce will find their way to the biggest cities and supermarkets not only in Nigeria but also in Europe and America'', Oduah declared, adding:

''The value chain that will result from this is also very immense. Just imagine the industries that will spring up to service this terminal like the packaging companies, transportation hubs, as well as the grocery stores that will feed off this facility. Thousands of jobs will be created and the entire landscape of this wonderful city will be greatly enhanced; the possibilities are indeed endless'', the Minister stated, and expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the airport.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw has hailed the on-going reconstruction and remodeling of the nation's airports, and expressed happiness that the Calabar airport is one of many in the country that has been totally transformed. Henshaw was speaking with Reporters who caught up with him at the airport during the inspection tour by the Minister.

The NDDC Chairman commended President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for giving the Minister all necessary support to carry out the reforms in the sector, adding that the people of the state and other Nigerians who pass through the new edifice will eternally remain indebted to his administration. He particularly commended the perishable cargo initiative, stressing that the day farmers in the state had been waiting for for decades to have full value for their crops has finally arrived.

 ''This singular initiative is bound to change the lives of our people in many more ways than anyone can imagine'', Henshaw stated, and alluded to the laudable pineapple produce initiative started by former state governor, Donald Duke which could not fully take off the ground due to lack of local and international markets for their produce. Today, I can assure you that pineapple farming will be fully resuscitated with the siting of the perishable cargo facility in this airport'', the former lawmaker concluded.

Joe Obi

SA (Media) to Aviation Minister

THERE WILL BE NO ABANDONED PROJECT UNDER MY WATCH – ODUAH

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah has declared that there will be no abandoned project in the sector under her watch as Minister. Oduah was speaking at the Yola airport, weekend at the commencement of a two-day inspection tour of the remodelling projects in airports across the country.

Oduah, who decried the abandoned project syndrome in the Nigerian polity in the past, said President Jonathan and the leadership in the aviation sector is very committed to the full and timely completion of projects started in late 2011 under the Airport Remodelling Project initiative.

‘’When we came on board in 2011 and drew up our Master Plan and implementation Roadmap which had as its core components, the Airport Remodelling Project, we were charged by Mr President to ensure that we complete every project we embark on. We assured Mr President that we will see every project to its logical conclusion and we are committed to that promise.

‘’We are fortunate to have his full support and the support of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The result of that level of support is what you are seeing today. Not only have we completed, commissioned and put to use a lot of the remodelled airports, work on the remaining ones is at 95 per cent completion. So under my watch, no project we have commenced will be abandoned’’, the Minister assured.

She said the Yola airport is very important and critical to the successful implementation of the transformation programme in the aviation sector as one of the designated Perishable Cargo centres, and disclosed that the Cargo terminal would be completed in the second quarter of this year.

The Minster expressed happiness with the quality of work at the remodelled Yola airport, saying that when fully operational, the airport and its cargo facility will not only create thousands of jobs for the people of the state, but more importantly, empower the rural farmers whose fresh produce will have access to both local and international markets.

At the Sultan Abubakar 111 International Airport, Sokoto, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the quality of work on the remodelled airport, disclosing that government was constructing the biggest Pilgrim Terminal in the country at the airport. The terminal, whose construction has already commenced, has a capacity of about 5,000.

At assumption of duty as Minister in 2011, Oduah assembled a team of Experts to produce the Aviation Sector Master Plan and implementation Road Map.

The airport remodelling project initiative is a core aspect of the Master Plan. 11 airports were taken in the First Phase of the remodelling programme. The second Phase took care of the remaining 11. Work on the 11 airports in the Second Phase is at 95 per cent completion.

Joe Obi

SA (Media) to the Hon. Minister

AVIATION IS WORKING AS EMIRATES AIRLINE COMMENCES OPERATIONS INTO ABUJA, KANO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS

EMIRATES AIRLINE COMMENCES OPERATIONS INTO ABUJA, KANO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS

Flowing from the approval granted to Emirates Airline by the Federal Ministry of Aviation, the international Carrier has said it is set to enhance its operations to Nigeria by launching scheduled daily passenger flights to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. August 2014 has been set as the commencement date.

In a letter to the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah dated February 03, 2014 and signed by Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President, Aeropolitical and Industry Affairs, Emirates Airlines, the Carrier expressed gratitude to the federal government for the continued support and assistance extended to it throughout the period it has been operating in Nigeria.

The Senior Vice President disclosed that the flights will be operated ''in accordance with the existing UAE-Nigeria agreement on air services, with four weekly flights routed Dubai-Abuja-Kano-Dubai and three weekly flights routed Dubai-Kano-Abuja-Dubai, without carriage of domestic traffic (cabotage) between Abuja and Kano''.

Obaidalla further assured that Emirates Airline ''remains fully committed to the Nigerian market and to provide Nigerian travellers the best possible service''.

Commenting on the development, Oduah expressed joy that passengers from Abuja, Kano and other parts of the North who patronise Emirates would have the airline's services brought to their doorsteps, and pledged to continue to partner Emirates and other airlines to deliver the best possible service to air travellers in the country. ''I am particularly delighted with this development'', the Minister enthused.

Joe Obi

SA (Media) to Aviation Minister