An Arik air aircraft[/caption
…We would challenge the take over says Arik
The receivership manager appointed by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to supervise the operations of Arik Air, Oluseye Opasanya (SAN) has said the mission is not to take over the nations largest airline but stabilize it to effecient operations that would ensure service delivery that would engender the satisfaction of both its customers and staff.
Opasanya made the clarifications today while speaking with aviation journalists in the airlnes headquarters, Domestic Wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on the receivership status for the airline.
The new management team leader appointed to the airline said the new management became necessary following the very huge amount of money the airline owes AMCON and unable to pay over a long period of time.
“After consulting with government authorities, AMCON has decided to appoint me to superintendent the affairs of the airline. We have come to supervise the operations, improve and sustain as well as support the airline with experts with deep knew ledge of the industry. ArikeO Air has played a pivotal role in the aviation industry with many Nigerians in its employment.” he said.
The receivership manager who said his team had earlier held a meeting with the members of management and staff of the airline, said it is equally important to inform other stakeholders especially members of the public, “that the decision of AMCON is to keep the airline relevant to the industry. made its decision .”
He continued, ” AMCON is willing to support the operations of Arik and together with the federal government and meet with the immediate essential needs of the airline. There is also the need to reach out to the contractors and creditors both foreign and local to secure their Co operations to the business.”
Opasanya who refused to disclose the actual debt portfolio of the airline to AMCON said a huge sum of money belonging to many bank depositors is involved adding that as the books of the airline is being looked into a valid figure would be released even as he that the no figure would be released for now in the interest of the survival of the business.
For now, I would prefer not to mention figure. The mission is to rescue the airline. If we begin to disclose the level of indebtedness, the information may be counterproductive.
Canvassing for cooperation of every stakeholder to achieve the set goal of sending a receivership manager to supervise the affairs of the airline, Opasanya who affirmed airline business cannot be ran by a singular individual, said that anything that would not promote the interest of the airline should be condemned.
on the span of the receivership, the manager who couldn’t give a specific time frame said it is based on how soon debts are recovered.
Arik is a national pride which everybody must join hands together to make profitable and pay the crudities. Until we are able to do this, we would tell you, otherwise that remains the situation.”
Meanwhile, the Vice President, Flight Operations and Deputy Managing Director Arik Air, Capt Ado Sanusi in response to the alleged take over of the airline by AMCON, said the former management of the airline received a court injunction this morning. And as law abiding citizens and organisation must obey the law even as he threatened that the court order would be challenged in the law court up to the highest court in the land to over tune the order.
” we were served a court order this morning on appointment of a receivership management for Arik Air. We would comply, we have the right to challenge the court order and we would challenge it,”Sanusi said.
