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By Anthony Kila

Singapore, an island nation, is a small country with limited natural resources that has gained recognition as a global economic powerhouse. Unlike many of its Southeast Asian neighbours, Singapore lacks natural resources such as oil, gas, miner­als, or substantial agricultural land.

The country serves as practical evidence that overcoming geographical and other challenges is achievable through strategic vision, effective governance, strong institu­tions, and a commitment to innovation. It remains a role model for nations striving to achieve economic success without relying on natural resources.

Singapore’s journey began with its inde­pendence in 1965 and included significant challenges such as its small land area (only 728 square kilometres today), limited access to raw materials for industry, a growing but predominantly unskilled population, and a heavy reliance on imports for food, water, and energy

Students of developmental studies recog­nise that Singapore’s journey to becoming an economically prosperous nation began with and continues to focus on human capital de­velopment. The country swiftly established world-class universities and research insti­tutes while implementing policies to attract global talent to address its skills and knowl­edge gaps. Additionally, it positioned itself as a business-friendly nation with free trade policies, low taxes, and transparent regula­tions, making it home to nearly 5,000 global corporate regional headquarters today. The Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) and its bank­ing sector are among the strongest in Asia.

These general factors have made Singapore prosperous and continue to rank it highly in global indices. Today, let us look at a specific sector that has significantly contributed to Singapore’s growth and status: aviation.

Singapore is a model for aviation-led eco­nomic growth by all standards, demonstrating how strategic investment in airports, airlines, and aviation-related industries can drive na­tional development.

Offshore, numerous countries can learn from Singapore how to effectively harness avi­ation to foster economic prosperity through trade, tourism, business, and innovation by de­veloping world-class infrastructure, investing in its national airline, and positioning itself as a global logistics hub.

With an estimated 2.64 million working adults aged 20 to 64, the aviation sector pro­vides jobs for nearly 200,000 individuals. Any sector that can employ nearly one in ten indi­viduals in any society is worth considering an asset to be monitored and fiercely protected

These achievements do not happen by chance. As Khaw Boon Wan, a former Minis­ter for Transport, proudly and rightly noted, “Singapore has positioned itself as a leading aviation hub, not by chance, but through stra­tegic planning and continuous investment in infrastructure and technology.

Changi Airport in Singapore

The Changi Airport has been intentionally designed to function as a global hub. It accom­modates over 68 million passengers annually and connects more than 100 airlines to 400 cit­ies worldwide. Furthermore, it is recognised as one of the best airports in the world and is celebrated for its efficiency, innovation, and passenger experience. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the premier airline trade association established in 1945, describes Changi Airport as a “world-class example of how airports can seamlessly blend efficiency, technology, and passenger experience.”

The emphasis on logistics and trade is noteworthy for those eager to learn. Changi’s cargo operations are a cornerstone of region­al and global trade, positioning Singapore as an international logistics centre. The airport contributes approximately 5% to Singapore’s GDP. Three key aspects of Changi Airport are its commitment to continuous maintenance, innovation, and expansion.

In some circles, it is often said that a coun­try requires three things to be a country: a na­tional territory, a national flag, and a national airline. Singapore Airlines (SIA), the country’s national carrier, is now a premium service airline that effectively flies the country’s flag worldwide and brings people to its territory by promoting tourism and business travel. It is also recognised as one of the best airlines in the world.

To achieve and maintain all these goals, SIA remains continuously committed to strategic partnerships with alliances such as Star Alliance, which enhance connectiv­ity and competitiveness. Aviation Week, an authoritative publication in the sector, noted that “Singapore Airlines represents the gold standard in aviation, where service excellence meets innovation.

Aviation in Singapore is more than just the transportation of people and cargo; the coun­try also serves as a hub for Maintenance, Re­pair, and Overhaul (MRO) services, as well as aerospace development. Singapore accounts for over 10% of the global aviation MRO mar­ket and is home to major aerospace firms, with companies like Rolls-Royce, ST Engineering, and Pratt & Whitney operating large facili­ties there. A deliberate and rigorous effort has been made to invest in research and de­velopment (R&D) initiatives and innovative aviation training programmes that nurture and develop a skilled workforce

The Singaporean aviation model for eco­nomic growth showcases a compelling pub­lic-private partnership story that many off­shore can and should learn from. Singapore’s aviation success arises from strategic collabo­rations between the public and private sectors. In addition to the government, the key players in Singapore’s aviation include airlines, retail companies, real estate developers, and general investors, whose interests and skills interact to effectively balance government support, pri­vate sector efficiency, and global competitive­ness. This model has driven economic growth, created jobs, and positioned Singapore as an international aviation leader.

Some initiatives generated by the pub­lic-private partnership include terminal ex­pansions (T3, T4, and T5) at Changi Airport, funded through private-sector investments and government support. Another project is Jewel Changi Airport, which opened in 2019. It is a $ 1.7 billion joint venture between Changi Airport Group and CapitaLand, a real estate giant. Jewel Changi Airport combines retail, entertainment, and aviation services

In the Singaporean aviation narrative, the government’s most significant contributions that public policymakers should consider are its strategic vision and the resulting policies that foster growth and development. For in­stance, the Changi Aviation Hub initiative is a deliberate long-term strategy to enhance Singapore’s role as a leading aviation hub and position the country as a major economic force. In the words of Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, “Changi Airport is not just an airport; it is a symbol of Singapore’s ambition and commitment to excellence.

Investments supported this vision, but in­vestment alone is insufficient; policies like the open skies policy, which encourages interna­tional airlines to operate in Singapore, thereby enhancing competition and connectivity, have also been introduced. An aspect that cannot be overstated in the Singaporean model is the importance of focusing on sustainabili­ty goals. In their effort to ensure they are not left behind in any area of development and to assert their cutting-edge status, policymakers and managers in Singapore’s aviation sector are highly focused on green aviation, includ­ing sustainable fuels and eco-friendly airport operations

For those intending to learn and under­stand how aviation can extend beyond fer­rying goods and people, Singapore is worth considering as a model for aviation-led eco­nomic growth.

Join me if you can, @anthonykila, to continue these conversations.

* Anthony Kila is a Jean Monnet Professor of Strategy and Development at the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies

They are mere allegations that’d be cleared  – Air Peace

A statement by the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia has confirmed the indictment of Allen Onyema, Chief executive officer of Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace for obstruction of justice in his long-standing money laundering case.

The Statement:

Press Release

CEO of Nigerian Airline and Co-Defendant Indicted for Obstruction of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia

ATLANTA – Allen Onyema, the Chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has been charged in a superseding indictment with obstruction of justice for submitting false documents to the government in an effort to end an investigation of him that resulted in earlier charges of bank fraud and money laundering. Ejiroghene Eghagha, the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, was also charged for participating in the obstruction scheme, as well as in the earlier bank fraud counts.

“After allegedly using his airline company as a cover to commit fraud on the United States’ banking system, Onyema, along with his co-defendant, allegedly committed additional crimes of fraud in a failed attempt to derail the government’s investigation of his conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The diligence of our federal investigative partners revealed the defendants’ alleged obstruction scheme, making it possible for the defendants to be held accountable for their aggravated conduct of attempting to impede a federal investigation.”

“These cases represent the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration to identify and hold accountable those who engaged in fraud and money laundering,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.

“Allegedly, Onyema and his accomplices fraudulently used the U.S. banking system in an effort to hide the source of their ill-gotten money,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. “Today’s superseding indictment is indicative of the dedication IRS-CI special agents and our law enforcement partners have, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, to neutralize threats to the United States from criminal organizations.”

“The charges announced today demonstrate the criticality of diligence and truth in criminal justice proceedings,” said Steven N. Schrank, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta that covers Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and our partners are committed to pursuing those who seek to exploit our nation’s financial system and any efforts to cover up illegal activity.”

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the superseding indictment, and other information presented in court: Onyema, a Nigerian citizen and businessman, is the CEO and Chairman of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline founded in 2013. Between 2010 and 2018, Onyema travelled frequently to Atlanta, where he opened several personal and business bank accounts. More than $44.9 million was allegedly transferred into his Atlanta-based accounts from foreign sources.

Beginning in approximately May 2016, Onyema, together with Eghagha, allegedly used a series of export letters of credit to cause banks to transfer more than $20 million into Atlanta-based bank accounts controlled by Onyema. The letters of credit were purportedly to fund the purchase of five separate Boeing 737 passenger planes by Air Peace and were supported by documents such as purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals. The documents purported to show that Air Peace was purchasing the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a business registered in Georgia.

However, the supporting documents were allegedly fake – Springfield Aviation Company LLC was owned by Onyema and managed on his behalf by a person with no connection to the aviation business, and Springfield Aviation never owned the aircraft. The company that allegedly drafted the appraisals did not exist. Eghagha allegedly participated in this scheme as well, directing the Springfield Aviation manager to sign and send false documents to banks and even using the manager’s identity to further the fraud. After Onyema received the money in the United States, he allegedly laundered over $16 million of the proceeds of the fraud by transferring it to other accounts.

In May 2019, upon discovering that he was under investigation in the Northern District of Georgia for bank fraud, Onyema and Eghagha allegedly directed the Springfield Aviation manager to sign a key business contract, but also specifically told her to not date the document. In October 2019, Onyema allegedly caused his attorneys to present that same contract, now falsely dated as being signed on May 5, 2016 (prior to the bank fraud that began in 2016), to the government in an effort to stop the investigation and unfreeze his bank accounts.

Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 61, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 42, of Lagos, Nigeria, were indicted on November 19, 2019, on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit credit application fraud, and three counts of credit application fraud. Additionally, Onyema was charged with 27 counts of money laundering, and Eghagha was charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. On October 8, 2024, they were both charged in a superseding indictment alleging an additional count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. The case is criminal action number 1:19-CR-464.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Commerce, and Department of Treasury are investigating this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Christopher J. Huber are prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

By Ojone Grace Odaudu

A Turkish Airlines pilot has died after becoming ill on his own flight from Seattle on the north-west coast of the United States to Istanbul in Turkey.

Captain Ilcehin Pehlivan, 59, collapsed mid-air and a second pilot and co-pilot took over the controls, an airline spokesman said on X.

“When first aid to our captain on the plane was unsuccessful, the cockpit crew… decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing,” Yahya Ustun explained.

The Airbus A350 plane landed in New York and plans were then made to fly the passengers on to Turkey from there, he added.

Flight TK204 took off from Seattle shortly after 19:00 Pacific Time on Tuesday evening. The pilot appears to have got into trouble over the Canadian territory of Nunavut, before his colleagues took over and headed for John F Kennedy airport.

The plane landed in New York about eight hours after leaving Seattle.

Mr Pehlivan had flown with Turkish Airlines since 2007 and had been given a regular health check in early March, which found no health problem that might affect his job, the airline said.

Turkey’s air traffic controllers’ association, TATCA, said he had served the aviation community for many years and offered its condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

The cause of the pilot’s death has not been released. Pilots have to undergo medical exams every 12 months, while those aged over 40 have to renew their medical certificates every six months.

In 2015, an American Airlines pilot aged 57 collapsed and died during an overnight flight from Phoenix to Boston.

The first officer took over and made an emergency landing in Syracuse.

At the moment, two pilots are required to be in the cockpit of a large commercial plane at all times.

However, the EU’s aviation safety agency says technology is being developed to enable a single pilot to operate large passenger planes during the cruise phase of a flight. Such a move would allow other members of the cockpit to rest, although the agency stressed there needed to be measures to ensure safety and to respond to crew becoming “incapacitated”.

The European Cockpit Association and other pilots’ groups have joined forces to challenge the initiative, arguing that reducing the crew at any time would gamble with safety on board.

(BBC)