Airports automate revenue collection to boost service delivery
In a bid to boost revenue generation in the aviation sector, the Federal Government on Thursday declared that it would implement the Aviation Revenue Automation Project to the letter.
It said the project, which is aimed at automating all aviation activities across airports in the country, would not only boost its revenue, but would enhance the productivity of airport personnel and improve passenger service.
The Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, said there was no going back on the project, adding that any chief executive or director-general of agencies under the ministry who failed to implement the project 'within 60 days will be seriously sanctioned.'
The minister had late last year complained that the nation's aviation industry was associated with very low productivity, stressing that it was contributing as little as 0.4 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product.
Chidoka had attributed the development to the low level of technology that was associated with the industry, leading to 'very low productivity and very poor return on investment.'
Explaining the significance of the project, the minister said in a statement that the ARAP was aimed at automating all aviation activities in all the airports so as to provide revenue assurance for the industry.
He stated that the project was 'intended to increase the efficiency of Nigerians and workers in the aviation industry, and also enable the agencies in the aviation sector deliver higher quality services to Nigerians and to make for increased revenue generation as well as create credible data source for the aviation industry.'
According to him, the ARAP is structured to bring to reality the vision and mission of the aviation industry.
'This vision and mission is to make the industry a world class provider of safe, secured and comfortable transport industry that is self-sustaining and pivotal to social economic growth, and to transform the sector into an efficient, profitable and preferred mode of transportation,' Chidoka said.
He advised all stakeholders to embrace the project and be on the same page with him so as to take the industry to the level of meeting with international best practices.
The minister, according to the statement, consequently constituted an inter-agency management committee to see to the challenges, harmonisation, implementation and success of the revenue automation project.