The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has asked the Federal Government to suspend plans for the concession of four of the nation’s airports.
The four international airports involved are Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Abuja, pending the resolution of contentious issues raised by the unions and other stakeholders.
The Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji who gave the directive, on Monday, at a meeting between the committee and officials of the Federal Ministry of Aviation said this is pending the resolution of all contentious issues.
Nnaji said a halt in the planned concession is imperative, so as to avoid an industrial dispute in the aviation sector, which would not be in the overall interest of the country.
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The committee also said the concerns raised by labour unions and workers form part of the reason for the call to suspend the concession plan of the Federal Government.
“We are hopeful that at the end of the day, our Intervention would provide an opportunity for all the parties to reach a common ground that will move the Aviation industry forward. Once again, on behalf of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation,” he said.
Rural access: KSADP to construct 70km roads
A total of 70 km of feeder roads (70km) will be constructed by the Kano State Agro Pastoral Development project( KSADP), in different parts of the state , said Project Communication Specialist, Ameen K. Yassar.
“The roads will be constructed to facilitate movement of commodities and animals from farms to markets and to other parts of the State”.
The State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, revealed this during project’s first extension workers engagement, under the SASAKAWA Africa Crop Value Chain intervention, in Kano.
“Our interventions, which include the SASAKAWA intervention, will cover cereals such as rice, maize, millet and sorghum while the KNARDA intervention will accommodate the production of legumes, like cow pea, soya beans and groundnut”.
“These interventions will eventually lead to increased food production in Kano, which will necessitate the construction of more access roads, for farm produce evacuation from the rural communities to markets in towns and urban areas”.
Malam Ibrahim explained that through Sasakawa and KNARDA services, the KSADP will impact on not less than a combined total of 550,000 farmers, providing them with trainings, inputs warehousing and marketing services, to enhance their productivity.
Besides, he mentioned that the renovation of the Watari dam in Bagwai local government area, which will commence shortly, would further boost food production and create more jobs in the state.
In this regard, he urged the extension workers to be alive to their responsibilities, stressing that no delay was expected from them since the interventions would start in the dry season, which is just around the corner.
In his remarks, the Country Director, SASAKAWA Africa, Prof. Sani Miko, represented by Dr. Abdulhamid Gambo, explained that a work plan for the intervention has already been drafted, while 90 extension Agents have been engaged from KNARDA.
“These Extension Agents will among several functions, form farmers groups and select community based Extension Farmers who will lead demonstrations and marketing services, to ensure sustainability after the lapse of the project life span”.
Earlier, the Managing Director of KNARDA, Ibrahim Sulaiman Dan Isle highlighted the long standing relationship between his agency and SASAKAWA Africa, noting that the fact that the two agencies have formed a synergy under the Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project heralds a good omen for farmers in the state.
