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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Federal Government has signed a concession agreement for Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Port Harcourt, with PH Airport Limited.
In a statement, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Tunde Moshood, said that the step is aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s aviation sector for improved efficiency, infrastructure development and enhanced private-sector participation.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, led the Federal Government delegation, while the Group Managing Director of PH Airport Limited, Mr. Eyo Asuquo, led the concessionaire.
The event brought together key stakeholders in the aviation industry, including the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; Directors of the Ministry; and aviation union leaders.
In a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive engagement and industrial harmony, proceedings commenced with a private meeting between the minister and the leadership of aviation unions.
The engagement provided an opportunity for extensive consultation on the concession process, particularly its implications for aviation workers and the future of the airport.
Speaking on behalf of the aviation union leaders, Comrade Ben Nnabue expressed the unions’ approval of the concession agreement, stating that their endorsement followed assurances and confirmation that no aviation worker would lose his or her job as a consequence of the arrangement.
He emphasised that the protection of workers’ jobs remained a fundamental consideration for organised labour and that the unions were satisfied with the assurances received before giving their approval to the agreement.
Also speaking, the Group Managing Director of PH Airport Limited, Mr. Asuquo, described Port Harcourt’s strategic importance in the aviation and economic landscape of the Gulf of Guinea, drawing attention to its enormous potential as a major gateway for regional commerce, investment and connectivity.
He expressed the concessionaire’s commitment to transforming the airport through improved infrastructure, enhanced operational standards and increased economic activities, assuring that the arrangement would create opportunities for more employment rather than lead to job losses.
