The House of Representatives says it is alarmed by the launching of Nigeria Air despite an existing court order restraining such action.
The Chairman House Committee on Aviation, Nnoli Nnaji, expressed disappointment at the action of the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
He said that “the committee was irked by the action of the Ethiopian Airline in the unveiling project.”
The Committee on Aviation made the following resolutions;
“The Committee after careful evaluation of the issues on deliberation is totally dissatisfied with the actions of the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirka in going ahead to flag off the operations of Nigeria Air despite a standing Court injunction against such, and without any provision for sustaining the operations of the airline. We are equally irked by the role played by Ethiopian Airlines in this whole process. It does not speak well of the excellent brotherly relationship existing between our two nations.
“A careful review of the process indicates the exercise to be highly opaque, shrouded in secrecy, shoddy and capable of ridiculing and tarnishing the image of Nigeria before the international community. We want to put on record, that the Committee and indeed the National Assembly had no role in the purported launch of Nigeria Air or anything related thereof.
“While the Committee and indeed the parliament are not opposed to Nigeria having a National Carrier, as a matter of fact having a National Carrier is highly desirable to us as a people and Nigeria, as a nation. However, such a process should be transparent and all-embracing. We as a Committee would not accept any attempt by any individual or group of individuals or organisations to hide under the project and siphon our commonwealths.
Consequently, the Committee hereby resolves to:
“Direct the Federal Ministry of Aviation and its partners in the Nigeria Air project to immediately suspend flights operations and every other action concerning Nigeria Air;
“Urge our new President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR President and C-in-C, to as a matter of urgency constitute a high-level Presidential Committee to undertake a holistic Review of the Processes of the whole Nigeria Air project, and advise the government on the way forward.
“Ensure that all individuals, groups, or organisations involved in the controversial shenanigan named “Nigeria Air Take-Off” are brought to book, prosecuted and sanctioned.
“Advice that the Federal Ministry of Aviation with its agency, the NCAA designate some Nigerian Indigenous Airlines as Flag Carriers, to take advantage of Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) entered into by Nigeria, pending when a viable National Carrier comes on board.
In conclusion, looking at the total amount required to fully start the airline which is put at $250,000,000, the Nigerian government and its citizenry can raise these funds without necessarily subjecting itself to the ridicule we have been exposed to by this recent episode. This is what we suggest the new administration look into”.
Nnaji also said, “Let it be put on record that the House of Representatives and the committee have no part you play in the unveiling of Nigeria Air”.
The committee urged President Tinubu to as a matter of urgency constitute a committee to review the Nigeria Air project and bring all perpetrators to book.
He said that the emergency meeting was summoned to make sure that Nigerians were not surcharged.
Nnaji said that it was not proper for Air Nigeria you have been unveiled without all the necessary documents being available and the stakeholders being carried along.
“There is no growth without sacrifice. The committee leadership and Nigerians woke up to the rude shock of the launching of a national carrier. Before you unveil an airline, you must put some things in order,” Nnaji said.
He commended the local airline industry and urged them to keep up the good work.
While responding to questions on Launch, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Dr Emmanuel Meribole, said that Nigeria Air was not launched but unveiled.
Meribole also said that Ministry followed due processes in the unveiling.
He said that no kobo was approved for the launching of Air Nigeria.
“As an accounting officer of the ministry, no kobo was paid for the unveiling,” MMrMeribole said.
He however reminded the meeting that Airline Operators are in court on the project and the matter should not be discussed
On this, the chairman countered it saying that it was funny that he just remembered that the issue was in court.
Representatives of Airline Operators of Nigeria said that Nobody is against the coming up of Nigeria Air but were dissatisfied with the process.
The Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC,
Mr. Joe Aniku Ohiani said that the Nigeria Air project was not ready as the three most important documents are not ready
“We were not consulted. There’s no shareholders agreement. It is a naming ceremony without a birth.” Ohiani said.
A former Director General of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Captain Roland Iyayi said that the Nigeria Air project would not benefit the Nigerian public.
He noted that the award of a majority stake in Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airlines was not transparent and would bring about unfair competition in the Nigerian airline industry.
“The dealings are not entirely transparent. There are undue privileges given to this new carrier which domestic operators aren’t enjoying. For instance, the government proposes a 15-year tax moratorium for the national carrier. Again let us be very clear, this is not a national carrier in the context in which it is being presented. This is a flag carrier. This is because if you are bringing strategic investors at 49% and it has other institutional investors, one of which is 60% owned by a foreign entity. In the long term, what you are putting together is a foreign airline being allowed to operate in the Nigerian space in variant with Article 7. This is not in the interest of the Nigerian public,” Dr Iyayi said.
The Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema described the Air Nigeria Project as a “ruse”.
He said that the idea of a national carrier was outdated and countries no longer get involved in it.
Dominica Nwabufo
