By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa/Umoja Standard.
Kampala, Uganda: Uganda Airlines has made its maiden flight between Entebbe to Lagos in Nigeria. The national carrier has made it flight to Lagos on October 19th this year. The route will reduce on the travel time between two countries from over eight hours to four hours. Uganda Airlines CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki said their aim is to open more routes on the continent.
This development came after the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding between themselves and was rubber-stamped whne Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Gen Jeje Odongo met Nigeria’s minister for aviation, Hadi Sirika far back in Kampala and the two shared a lot regarting aviation matters.
HOW IT HAPPENED.
Nigeria’s Minister Sirika revealed that his government back home has reviewed its Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with Uganda as part of efforts to facilitate direct air connectivity between the two countries.
This bilateral air service agreement provides for reciprocal international commercial air transport services between the two countries. On that day, He lauded Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, Uganda’s Works and Transport Minister and spoke on measures to review the Bilateral Air service Agreement (BASA) between the two countries signed in 2002 and reviewed in 2005.
The encounter provided the necessary administrative and technical support to the MoU agreed upon, during the last International Civil Aviation Negotiation (ICAN) event, which was held in Abuja from in December last year.
Sirika said that following these successful deliberations with Ministry of Works and Transport and Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, an MoU was concluded and signed to pave way for the commencement of direct flights from Entebbe to Lagos.
In addition, the Nigerian minister highlighted that it was agreed that Abuja is reviewed and included as an additional route to the existing Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with Nigeria.
The current BASA had initially only designated the Lagos route for Uganda Airlines.
The Nigerian Minister lauded the exceptional, visionary leadership of President Museveni and Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari highlighting that both leaders are united in their commitment to achieve socio-economic transformation for Africa and her people as well as attain sustainable advancement for human capital development.
He further emphasized the commitment of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to bolster bilateral relations in key sector areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Gen Jeje Odongo appreciated Nigeria’s interventions to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the transport sector specifically in aviation.
He reiterated Uganda’s commitment to boost air connectivity and quest for the operation of direct flight into Nigeria using its national carrier, the Uganda Airlines but also underscored the role of improved air connectivity to enhance bilateral trade between Uganda and Nigeria.
Gen Odongo emphasized that these efforts are in line with ministry’s policy of pursuing commercial and economic diplomacy with the primary objective of further strengthening bilateral trade and investment to accelerate economic growth and development.
The minister appreciated Nelson Ocheger, Uganda’s High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Ismail A. Alatise, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Uganda whose concerted efforts and coordination with relevant ministries, departments and agencies from respective countries culminated into the signing of the MoU ensuring commencement of direct flights from Entebbe to Lagos and Abuja.
The Minister affirmed that the ministry would provide the necessary political leadership that will facilitate implementation of the agreements reached during the meeting.
The meeting noted the need for technical cooperation and collaboration between the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and the East African Civil Aviation Academy (EACAA), located in Soroti, Uganda.
Equally, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority also solicited technical support from Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
In his response, Senator Sirika underscored the importance of air transportation, which he deeply observed that it remains the major veritable means of connecting the people of Africa and enhancing trade.
He stated that air transportation will do well in Africa with its population of over 1.37 Billion and urged African nations to leverage the opportunity of Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM) to attain the 2065 Africa Agenda.
He gave the assurance of the government of Nigeria to facilitate necessary efforts to ensure air connectivity becomes a reality as both countries have come a long way and promised positive responses to the requests made by Uganda.