Members of Airline Operators of Nigeria have lauded the Minister ot Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barr Festus Keyamo (SAN) over his announcement of suspension of the controversial Nigeria Air and other projects in the sector.
In a statement signed by its national Public Relations Officer, Prof Okafor Obinna, AON said the minister has displayed rare courage and great patriotism to save Nigeria from further embarrassment in the aviation world with the suspension of the Nigeria Air project.
“We, the entire membership of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), commend the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo SAN, for suspending every activity related to the operationalisation of Nigeria Air.
“By the action, the minister has displayed rare courage and great patriotism to save Nigeria from further embarrassment in the aviation world,” it added, “aside from stakeholders in the aviation industry, it was evident to everyone who had followed developments around the Nigeria Air project under the immediate past administration that the idea was not only ill-thought-out but also lacked any modicum of transparency.
“It was therefore no surprise that the House of Representatives Committees on Aviation which investigated the process and purported launch of Nigeria Air on Friday, June 2, 2023 described it as a ‘fraud’.”
The airline operates who claimed Nigerians were baffled with the shoddy execution of the project which was kept from their knowledge until the tail end of the last administration, however believes that the suspension of the project would allow the minister to put things right and redeem the country’s image.
“It remains a puzzle to Nigerians why the processes of actualizing such a major national project was shrouded in almost utter secrecy until the end of the last government. However, we remain confident that by suspending the Nigeria Air project to allow for a thorough review ,theAviation Minister Olorogun Keyamo SAN will put things right and help restore Nigeria’s image in the global aviation family,” AON said.
The operators who insisted that the floating of the airline was done in bad faith wrong in the first instance to undermine destroy the Aviation industry to the advantage of Ethiopia airline, believe that minister has the right vision for the industry by embracing Public Private Partnership (PPP) in driving the sector.
“AON continues to believe that it is not right to float a national carrier on the terms set out by the last Aviation Minister, which would undermine, even destroy, the aviation sector in Nigeria with Ethiopian Airlines waiting on the wings for total takeover.
We have no doubt that the new Aviation Minister has the right vision for the development of the sector which is driven by public interest considerations for the good of Nigerians,” the statement added.
The AON which commended the Minister for the great leadership he has shown so early in his tenure, and pledged its unalloyed support in his quest to reform the aviation sector and implement other components of the aviation roadmap for the over all good of the Nigerian economy.
