The project director, Peace Ambassador Agency, Amb. Kingsley Amafibe has urged the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to take punitive measures to reform the aviation industry and reposition it for effective service delivery.
He also decried incessant flight delays at the airports, which he said affects the businesses of individuals and sometimes causes irreparable damages in terms of emergency health issues.
Venting out his frustration on social media after a series of flight delays by aviation companies, Amb. Amafibe, who recently returned from Rwanda where he hosted 100 Most Notable African Leadership and Business summit, said no action has been taken by the regulatory authorities to address passengers’ plight from aviation firms.
Recall that the Ministry of Aviation through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in February warned that disruptions, incessant delays, and schedule changes without adequate notice to passengers will attract sanctions.
The agency said airlines must fulfill their obligations to passengers or face the consequences.
But since then, nothing has actually improved in the aviation sector with regards to delivering effective service to passengers.
According to Amb. Amafibe, most African countries have left Nigeria behind in terms of quality of service in the aviation industry, stating that in Rwanda, little flight delays are announced earlier enough to enable passengers to make adequate plans and arrangements.
“There are erratic services in many sectors of the Nigerian economic sectors, but what is happening in aviation is deeply alarming.
“Imagine how a 7am flight could be shifted to 12 noon, and later 2pm, 5pm and eventually 9pm.
It is frustrating and disheartening. People lose business opportunities, lose man hours, lose job opportunities, and at the end of the day, no apology is tendered by these companies that fleece us.
“They have been emboldened by the failure of government to protect our rights. People have lost their relatives and loved ones on the account of these delays.
“These erode the confidence of investors. We can’t be complaining of attracting foreign investments, yet our transportation sector, especially aviation, is in a sorry state. No nation progresses this way,” he noted.
Amafibe, therefore, called on the aviation ministry, consumer protection agencies and the Ministry of Justice to take measures to ensure that depleting service in the aviation service is brought to an end, saying it gives the country a negative reputation.