Juliet Akoje in Abuja
The House of Representatives’ Committee on Aviation has declared the launch of the Nigerian Air a fraud, after the major stakeholders in the deal between the federal government and Ethiopian Airlines denied having knowledge of the launch.
The committee therefore, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to as a matter of urgency constitute a high level Presidential Committee to undertake a holistic review of the processes of the whole Nigeria Air project and advice the government on the way forward.
The committee further directed the Federal Ministry of Aviation and its partners in the Nigeria Air project to immediately suspend flights operations and every other actions with respect to Nigeria Air.
The Ministry of Aviation claimed that Nigeria Air was unveiled and not launched which the committee dismissed, saying it was an attempt to divert lawmakers’ attention.
The chairman of the Committee, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, stated “that after careful evaluation of the issues on deliberation is totally dissatisfied with the actions of the former Minister of Aviation, Sen, Hadi Sirka in going ahead to flag off the opcrations of Nigeria Air despite a standing Court injunction against such and without any provision for sustaining the operations of the airline.
“We are equally irked by the role played by Ethiopian Airline in this whole process. It does not speak well of the excellent brotherly relationship existing between our two nations.
“A careful review of the process indicates the exercise to be highly opaque, shrouded in secrecy, shoddy and capable of ridiculing and tarnishing the image of Nigeria before the international community.
“We want to put on record, that the Committee and indeed the National Assembly had no role in the purported launch of Nigeria Air or anything related thereof.”
The Committee further stressed that, “While the Committee and indeed the parliament is not opposed to Nigeria having a National Carrier, as a matter of fact having a National Carrier is highly desirable to us as a people and Nigeria, as a nation. However, such a process should be transparent and all embracing.
“We as a Committee would not accept any attempt by any individual or group of individuals or organisation to hide under the project and siphon our commonwealths.”
However, the Committee urged all individuals, or groups, “or organisation involved in the controversial shenanigan named Nigeria Air Take-Off be brought to book, prosecuted and sanctioned.”
