FG Renews Plan to Establish National Carrier

Nigerian Airways Limited (NALS)  plane

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.