Chinedu Eze
Former workers of the liquidated Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL), have severely criticised succeeding governments after the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration for failing to implement the recommendations of the panel that investigated why the national carrier was grounded and eventually liquidated by the federal government in 2004.
The panel, known as Justice Obiora Nwazota Judicial Commission that was set up in 2002 by former President Olusegun Obsanjo, identified the personalities that bankrupted the national airline, but up till now government had not implemented the panel’s report.
The ex-workers of the defunct airline, accused government of abetting corruption by allowing those who diverted NAL’s funds to still hold positions in their private business and government appointments.
The matter came to the fore recently when members of the House of Representatives passed a resolution to investigate those indicted for looting the resources of the liquidated national carrier.
This followed the plan to complete the payment of entitlements to the former workers of the airline, who had not been paid until the current administration started the payment in 2018 and had already earmarked funds to complete the payment.
The Mohammadu Buhari administration earmarked about N45 billion for the payment and plans to complete the payment of all the workers involved this year, as about N22.5 billion had already been paid.
Expressing disappointment over the non-implementation of the Nwazota report, former senior engineer of the Nigeria Airways Limited and currently the Director of Engineering, Ibom Air, Lukeman Animaseun, told THISDAY that the panel captured vividly what led to the bankruptcy and eventual liquidation of the national carrier.
He expressed confidence that one day, the panel’s report would be implemented and those indicted for diverting the airline’s funds would be made to pay for their indiscretion and greed.
“What was captured by the Nwazota’s panel was the truth. At least 90 per cent of it was true and I believe that it is a matter of time that those involved would be punished for what they did, but it is unfortunate that up till now no government has taken action,” he said.
Animaseun who is in charge of the payment of severance entitlement of the former workers of the airline said government would soon complete the payment of the workers by October, 2021.
He said what remain now are batches six to 16 to complete the payment, disclosing that the bulk of the payment had been done, adding, “by October everybody will be paid.”
Speaking about the non-implementation of Nwazota’s panel report recommendations, industry stakeholder and the General Secretary of Aviation Round Table (ART), Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), wondered why those indicted in the report have been allowed to be moving freely and alleged that they are still behind most of the problems in the aviation industry because many of them found their way to the position of influence and have been dictating some decisions being taken in the sector.
“When you look at the aviation industry today, they were the people who destroyed the industry. Those who killed NAL are still there today and were behind the liquidation of Virgin Nigeria Airways Limited (VNA). They still have influence with the present Minister of Aviation,” he said.
Ojikutu noted that the plan to establish another national carrier might not succeed, as long as the federal government is playing a major role in its establishment because those who were involved in the bankruptcy of Nigeria Airways are also the “people still influencing things today,” adding that from the promise that it would only have five per cent stake, the federal government is now the one bankrolling the financing of the planned national carrier.
“We need a national carrier; not a government carrier. I am getting worried more than before, as government is getting more involved in the establishment of a national carrier. I recall the first stakeholders meeting we had at Sheraton, Lagos I suggested that government should have 10 per cent stake, but the Minister said that government would have only five per cent, but today government seemed to be bankrolling the whole thing with huge government budget. Government is expected to have maximum of 10 per cent, 20 per cent will go to the stock exchange, the technical partner may have 40 per cent and the remaining will go to Nigerians,” he said.
But reacting to the implementation of the Nwazota’s panel recommendation, the industry consultant and CEO of Belujane Konsult, Chris Aligbe, said the panel’s report lacked legitimacy.
“Nwazota’s panel report is a document that will live in infamy. I had said so when he was alive and now that he was dead. The panel’s report criminalised incompetence. Obasanjo used the panel to justify the liquidation of Nigeria Airways. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) did not deliberate over the report, so there was not final position; so it was not gazetted,” he said.
On the scepticism that the new national carrier would fail, considering that government is fully midwifing it, he said: “The fact a wife had miscarriage two times, does not mean that the couple should not try again.”
