Stella Oduah, the immediate past aviation minister, said during the week that if the content of the ‘master-plan’ she evolved for the sector was implemented to the letter, the sector would take its rightful place in the comity of nations.
Speaking in Enugu while receiving an award from the Ikenga Award for Excellence Foundation, she noted however that President Goodluck Jonathan was already mainstreaming the plan which she described as the best for the sector.
She said there is a well-articulated master plan that must be followed and which would guide all the development in the aviation industry, adding that anybody who deviated from that master plan would be doing a disservice to the country.
“I believe he (her successor) would follow the master plan to the letter; and really, anybody that does contrary to that is doing a dis-service to the Nigerian people and there must be a continuation to the development of the aviation sector. It must be mainstreamed.
“Mr. President has started mainstreaming and that should continue because we do this for a very well developed aviation sector and if you look at it really, aviation is employment generating, contributes to nation’s GDP, so why would it not been given priority? It should be given priority and Mr. President is doing that,” Oduah said.
She however cautioned Nigeria not to sacrifice its development on the altar of politics if it must improve its infrastructure and better the lives of its citizens.
The former minister noted that Nigeria would continue to lag behind if the citizens allow political sentiments to blur their focus on the need to provide necessary infrastructure in all facets of the economy so that the country would maximise its human and material resources for the benefit of all.
She added that while political interest is ephemeral, development is permanent and opportunity missed may never be regained.
“It is a privilege, like I said, to serve Nigeria; to serve my nation…a country where you have 170 million people and you were given the opportunity to serve and make a difference. You leave a footpath behind, it is not easy, it is an honour, I’m very grateful to Nigerians.”
She said she was elated by the award and described it as the evidence that what was done at transforming the airports was appreciated; however, she attributed all the achievements to collective efforts of her team and her.
