By Gift Olivia Samuel, The Sight News
ABUJA: The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, on Tuesday revealed that the National Carrier also known as Nigeria Air, is yet to take off due to internal mechanisms that need to be addressed.
Recall that Nigeria Air was a proposed airline and flag carrier in Nigeria, which had its name and logo unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom in July 2018, but was later suspended same year and is yet to take off.
Sirika was speaking at the 7th Aviation Workers’ Week in Abuja, with the theme, “Contributions of the National Carrier to the Socio-economic Development of Nigeria”.
The Minister who was represented by the Director PRS, Mohammed Shehu, however stated that the focus and resolve to float the National Carrier is still on course despite what is being read in the media.
According to him, “The National Carrier will be online any moment from now, and it will contribute a lot. It is the dream of every Nigerian because of its economic advantage.
“It is a revenue generating industry and we hope that when the National Carrier starts, it is going to be wonderful and Nigeria will be fully represented globally, as it will create job opportunities in the country and beyond”, he noted.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Engineer Hassan Musa, stated that Nigeria in collaboration with other core investors and stakeholders, is on the path to resuscitating the national carrier project.
He added that resuscitating the national carrier project is becoming possible due to the insight coupled with the zeal and determination of the current Minister to return the nation to its glorious past.
“The concept of this noble dream is well thought out while a phased execution of this resuscitation has reached advanced stages of fruition in the nearest future”, he said.
For his part, the Council Chairman, Joint Consultative and Negotiating Council, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Comrade Hector Nnadi, noted that the theme of the Week was anchored on the desirability or otherwise of a National Carrier’s contributions to the socio-economic growth of Nigeria.
He added also, that the Minister’s choice of re-establishing a national carrier is what the nation needs at this point in time.
