The Nigerian Senate has stated that the aviation ministry’s proposal for a national carrier is unrealistic.
Senator Uba Sani, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, stated this on Wednesday, December 1 at the committee’s retreat in Niger state.
Sani also charged the Aviation Ministry of impeding the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria’s (AMCON) efforts to get the NG Eagle’s operating license.
According to him, the Upper Chamber is furious with the Aviation Ministry for allegedly sabotaging AMCON’s efforts to establish a new airline called NG Eagle by denying it the final Air Operating Certificate (AOC) that would allow it to begin scheduled operations, despite the fact that AMCON had completed all huddles required by law.
Sani said;
“The ministry is not being realistic with his proposal of a National Carrier and because of that frustrating the efforts of AMCON on NG Eagle.
“I say it is not realistic after we listened to the explanations of the ministry that the government will own only 5% of the new National Carrier, Nigerians will own 46% and yet to be named foreign interest will own 49%.”
Ahmed Kuru, AMCON’s Managing Director/CEO, spoke at the event and stressed that the agency’s role in the airline is based on national duty rather than recovery.
“AMCON getting involved in the airline is not from a recovery perspective, but from a national duty perspective to ensure that the airline continued to operate given its strategic importance in the aviation sector at that time.
“After intervention by AMCON, the airline continued to meet its obligations particularly that of the Aviation Ministry. The airline has so far remitted over N12 billion as ongoing obligations to the ministry. The Corporation also does realize that at a certain point in time it must prepare an exit strategy from all its aviation portfolio, and based on advice, decided to set up NG Eagle through the process of certification by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).”
Source; Ghgossip.com
