Managing Director, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, SAHCO plc, Mr. Basi Agboarumi says ground handling companies in the country are not adequately paid for services rendered airlines.
This is just as he called on the Federal government to grant waivers on the importation of equipment to reduce their burden.
Mr. Basil Agboarumi in his speech during the ‘A Night With Basil, organised by the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) in Lagos noted that they cannot operate in isolation of the entire industry and therefore wants the Federal Government to intervene in the charges paid by the airlines.
He charged other ground handling companies to ensure maximum cooperation in order to impose the right prices on services rendered airlines.
“This is the time I think we need cooperation in the industry. The ground handlers need to come together because we can’t be isolated from what is happening in the sector. what happens to an aspect of the industry, affects all since the general duty of us in our various segments of the industry is to see how passengers or goods can move from one point to the other.
“I am one person that believes strongly that ground handling in Nigeria is under-priced and for us to continue to get the kind of ground handling that we require, especially now that things are getting harder for everyone in terms of procurement of equipment, industry must be ready to take the right step for the right of ground handling that we expected.
On waivers on procurement of equipment, the SAHCO plc boss said government should also grant them waivers just as it had done for the airlines.
“We have been talking to government and government has been so good to the airlines, but I think it’s high time the government looked at the side of the ground handling companies. We need waivers on procurement of equipment, just as the government has granted the airlines. Government should also look at how it can reduce our burdens.”
Agboarumi commended the leadership of LAAC for putting the event together for him, stressing that contribution of journalists to the development of the sector could not be over-emphasised.
The event was attended by Mr. Sam Adurogboye and Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, the General Manager Public Affairs of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and General Manager, Corporate Communications of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), respectively, among several other players in the sector and beyond.
Mr. Basi Agboarumi is the first Public Relations Manager to be elevated as a substantive Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
