Percy Onyeka
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo has restated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will take a final decision on Nigeria Air.
It would be recalled that Keyamo on assumption of office had suspended the Nigeria Air, which was launched under controversial circumstances in the last minute of Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Following the launch, it was later discovered that the aircraft, which received the ceremonial water cannon at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja signalling the first flight of a new airline, was a hired aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines as it returned to its owner the following day.
Ethiopian Airlines had been selected as the preferred bidder/technical partner for the Nigeria Air, one of the projects in the Aviation Development Roadmap of the last administration.
Penultimate week, the Ethiopian Airlines broke its silence with the Group Chief Executive of the Airline, Mr. Mesfin Tasew saying the airline was prevailed upon by the federal government to set up the airline even though it has no intention of doing that.
He also revealed that the federal government requested for Ethiopian Airlines aircraft painted on the Nigeria Air logo for the inspection of Nigerians and the airline agreed.
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Asked on the status of Nigeria Air at the weekend during the stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, Keyamo said the issue is on the table of the president for a final decision.
He did not say whether the new government would go ahead with the airline or not.
Speaking on the issue of the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria, he said, “We are working round the clock, behind the scenes. I will be in Dubai in less than two weeks now to dot the I’s and cross the T’s.”
Techrectory with Agency Report.
