The
federal government has initiated fresh plan to establish a national carrier,
which it believes would be the pivot of the Aviation Master Plan that hopes to
transmute the sector into a key contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).
Just
yesterday, federal government started the assessment of the defunct Nigerian
Airways Limited (NALS) assets that have not been sold out or privatised as part
of the plan towards the establishment of another national carrier, which would
be largely privately owned.
The
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Mr Yemi Adelakun, who was at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport (MMIA), Lagos to carry out the assessment on behalf of the federal
government, said the purpose of his visit was to see what could be salvaged and
to move the sector forward to actualise the set goals, guided by the Aviation
Master Plan.
Adelakun
said part of the Aviation Master Plan was to
establish a national carrier that
should anchor the air transport aspect of the plan, which include manpower
development and the development of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul
(MRO) facility.
“We
are trying to see how we can take aviation section to the next level, so we
want to go back and see the wrongs of the past and see where we can correct them.
That is why we decided to come for this tour to see for ourselves what is on
ground; in fact, like here used to be Nigerian Airways property (Sky Power
Catering Services) and we want to see what has become of it.
“The
purpose is to take this sector to the next level so that all of us as Nigerians
can become proud of the sector. We are also looking at the possibility of
bringing back our national carrier, if Gabon or Gambia can have its airline,
why not Nigeria?” Adelakun said.
The
Permanent Secretary said Nigeria would not benefit from the aviation sector
unless it is able to develop a hub and it cannot develop a hub without
establishing its own national carrier.
He
further explained how government intends to establish a national carrier: “It
is going to be run as a commercial entity, where you and I can be part owners
of the organisation.
“We
are going to invite foreigners with expertise and money to invest in the new
airline. They have money, they have the technical know-how and they will be our
partners. It is not going to be a government business like Nigerian Airways,”
Adelakum said.
When
he visited the premises of Skypower Catering Services Limited, which used to be
the subsidiary of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited, he challenged the
management of the firm to ensure that it furnished the Ministry of Aviation
with the relevant documents of the operation of the airline at its facility,
which he described as unofficial and also queried the audacity of the company
to collect money from the airline without remitting same to the Ministry of
Aviation, the body supposedly in charge of supervising the firm.
Adelakum
also said government wants to sustain the accident free operation of Nigerian
airlines this year and in subsequent years, adding that government was
determined to ensure safety and security of lives and property in air transport
in the country.
“We
have to secure our airspace; we have to make our customers very comfortable,
they have to be happy. We are determined to bring the industry to the world’s
best standards and we want to make Nigeria the aviation hub in West Africa,”
Adelakum also said.
Thisday
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