Nigeria Air will launch soon, FG says
On Wednesday, the Federal Government said that Nigeria Air would shortly begin operations after having the planes checked out and colored.
Senator Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, made this announcement to reporters from the State House after the weekly Federal Executive Council, or FEC, meeting, which was held in the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja under the chairmanship of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He added that N721,266,733.64 had been approved by the council for the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano’s upkeep and technical assistance.
He said, “Today in Council, Aviation had one memo and this memorandum is a contract that was awarded to CCECC and it is for the airport maintenance and technical support at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and… for a period of 12 months and the sum of the contract is N721,266,733.64 and the memorandum was approved.”
When asked when it is likely that Nigeria Air will start operating, the Minister responded that the federal government has already completed the early steps and that the carrier will soon begin operations once the last steps in getting the Air Operator Certificates (AOC) have been completed.
He said, “Nigeria Air will soon start flying, we’ve got the aircrafts ready, they’re painted in the colors. We’ve crossed all the Ts and dot the Is. We’re at stage five of the AOC issuance by NCAA. Once that is done, the airline will begin to fly.
“So there are five stages, we’ve done stages 1,2,3,4 and we are now at stage five, once the AOC is given, the aircraft is ready to start to fly. Well, because the issuance of the AOC is in the hands of NCAA, but I know it will be very soon, with an emphasis on soon. So as soon as we get the AOC, then we fly.”
When asked if the start of flying operations was a result of the lawsuit filed by various Nigerian airlines, Sirika responded, “To my knowledge, there is no injunction preventing Nigeria Air’s operation.
“The grievances by some airlines, for example United, Azman, Max Air, Air Peace, if you are referring to that case that they instituted. Okay if you are referring to that case, I have no comment about it.
“I thought you were talking about something different, but if it’s that case, you have asked me before on this platform and I told you that it’s subjudice, it’s in court, so I can’t talk about it”, he said.
This was even as the FEC approved the sum of N117,721,266,733 for contracts in the Petroleum Resources and Aviation ministries.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said Council approved the sum of N117 billion for the construction of the Oloibiri Oil Museum and Research Centre in Bayelsa State.
According to him, the project, which has been on the drawing board since the early 1980s, from the era of President Shehu Shagari, would be one of the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s legacies.
He said, “Council has approved a contract for the construction of the Oloibiri Oil Museum and Research Center to Messrs Julius Berger PLC, at the sum of N117 billion, with a completion timeframe of 30 months. This project has been on the drawing board for so long.
“The first time foundation stone was laid for this project was in the early 80s by President Shehu Shagari. So, this actually is a major milestone and it is expect to be a major legacy of Mr. President in the Niger Delta.”
