The Federal Government has again been told to birth a new national carrier for Nigeria despite the past failed attempts after the liquidation of the former, Nigeria Airways about 18 years ago.
Comrade Abdulrazak Saidu, General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), made the appeal in Lagos, recently during the fourth Air Transport Quarterly (ATQ) Magazine annual award.
Keyamo specifically appealed to Capt. Chris Najomo, the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA), who received an award as the ‘2024 Aviation Man of the Year’ at the event, to convey the request of the industry unions to Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
Saidu, declared that it was necessary for the minister to give the nation a new national carrier during his time for the benefit of Nigerians.
Saidu, insisted that it was painful that foreign national carriers had continued to cart away the country’s resources without any effective competition from any Nigerian airline.
He said: “Sir, we want to make a request through you (Najomo) to the minister as a regulator. We cannot allow foreign airlines to cart away all our money.
“Whatever mistakes made by Sen. Hadi Sirika, the former Minister of Aviation, Keyamo as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), we have told him, he has a right to correct and make us have our own national carrier.”
In his response, Najomo said that Keyamo has consistently submitted that the national carrier issue could only be addressed by President Bola Tinubu.
He explained that the minister was aware of the agitation of some professionals for the rebirth of a new national carrier, but assured that the government would take a necessary decision on it.
“The issue of a national carrier has always come and like my minister has always said, that is the prerogative of Mr. President and once Mr. President gives the go ahead, we will do the needful. For now, the minister is aware, everybody is aware.”
Controversies had trailed the last minutes effort of Sen. Hadi Sirika, former Minister of Aviation to hoodwink the nation with his partnership with Ethiopian Airlines by painting one of the East African country’s aircraft, an 11 years old Boeing 737-800 in the colour of Nigeria Air in a static display.
This attempt generated a lot of furor among the stakeholders and professionals in the industry who suspected foul play.
For instance, Capt. Roland Iyayi, a chieftain of the Airline Operators of Nige¬ria (AON), had said that the unveiling of Nigeria Air aircraft was a ruse, which would be challenged and it was challenged by the operators.
Iyayi in an interview with Daily Independent, had accused Sirika of taking Nigerians for a ride, stressing that he “committed the fraud in connivance with Ethiopian Airlines.”
According to him, rather than unveil an airline, what Sirika did was static display of Nigeria Air aircraft, belonging to Ethiopian Airline
