Former Minister of Aviation and 2017 Anambra State gubernatorial contestant, Osita Benjamin Chidoka, recently took to Twitter to narrate his experience while onboard an AirPeace flight from Enugu.
According to Mr Chidoka, the AirPeace flight suffered a birdstrike which resulted in the pilots resorting to an emergency landing.
Continuing in the tweet, the former Minister, the pilots confided in him that this was the third birdstrike the airline suffered at Enugu.
I was on board the @flyairpeace that suffered the bird strike and had to make an emergency landing last Monday. The pilots were professional and they told me that was the 3rd bird strike suffered by the Airline at Enugu. I called Minister @hadisirika unsuccessfully to discuss
— Osita Chidoka (@osita_chidoka) May 19, 2019
Enugu Airport lacks security: According to the former Minister of Aviation, the issue of safety at the Enugu Airport is an important one. This is why he called for the issue to be given the urgent, holistic, and professional attention that it deserves in order to improve safety and commercial viability.
Mr Chidoka even shared a few ideas on how the Federal Government can help revitalize the airport and restore its stability.
FG should hand over Airports to the state government: Giving further pointers on how Nigerian airports could be developed, Mr Chidoka stated that the Federal Government should consider handing over airport buildings and infrastructure to the states where such are located. This would enable the FG to regulate and operate safety navigational aids.
3. Fundamentally government should consider handing over the Airport building and infrastructure to Host State Governments while the Federal Government continue to regulate and operate safety, navigational aids and other international standards issues.
— Osita Chidoka (@osita_chidoka) May 19, 2019
Government-Private Partnership: Mr Chidoka further suggested that State Governments can also partner with private sectors to operate airports. He pointed out that the Federal Government is overstretched. Therefore, it will not be bad if the country administratively devolves powers to states in order to improve FG’s balance sheet.
Finally, Mr. Chidoka advised that the Federal Government to stop “playing the ostrich” because the nation needs structural adjustment. He emphasized the difference between structural adjustment and restructuring.
About Osita Benjamin Chidoka: Born in on 18th of July 1971, Chidoka served as the Minister of Aviation under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
In 2017, Chidoka ran for the governorship of Anambra State under the United Progressive Party. He was defeated by Willi Obiano of the All Progressive Grand Alliance.