The House of Representatives has picked holes in the hasty launch of Nigeria Air at the twilight of the administration of former President, Muhammadu Buhari, declaring it as fraudulent.
Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji described the launch of Nigeria Air a fraud after the purported concessionaire Ethiopian Airlines denied knowledge of the launch.
The lawmakers also asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to constitute a high level Presidential committee to undertake a holistic review of the processes of the Nigeria Air project.
Nnaji said the committee was totally dissatisfied with the actions of the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika in going ahead to flag off the operations of Nigeria Air in spite a standing court injunction against such.
Nnaji said this was also without any provision for sustaining the operations of the airline adding that careful review of the process indicated the exercise to be highly opaque, shrouded in secrecy, shoddy and capable of ridiculing and tarnishing the image of Nigeria before the international community.
The Ministry of Aviation claimed Nigeria Air was only unveiled and not launched, which the committee dismissed as an attempt to divert the lawmakers’ attention.
Members of the committee were shocked when NAMA disclosed that the aircraft bearing Nigerian colours was on a chartered flight to Nigeria. The plane promply departed after arriving the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on March 26, 2023.
Other stakeholders who confirmed the disclosure noted that a chartered flight could be painted in any colour and with any inscriptions.
Credible News recalls that two weeks ago, former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika gleefully announced the arrival of Nigeria Air despite widespread doubt over the feasibility of a National carrier.
Sirika said that the aircraft will be unveiled in Nigeria’s colours, adding that the implementation of the aviation roadmap had been achieved 100 percent.
His words: “On the question of Nigeria Air, on Friday in two days, Nigeria Air plane will land in Nigeria as part of the processes to commence operation. We will on that day unveil this aircraft, the livery and everything in Nigeria’s colours, belong to Nigeria Air and we will proceed to go and do the retrofit and bring back those airplanes.”
The plan by Sirika had generated a huge controversy when the Airline Operators of Nigeria went to court and secured an order of perpetual injunction against the airline.
