FG Sets Up Committee for the Establishment of New National Airline

 

According to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Aviation, Nigeria on Monday, has taken a major step towards establishing a new national airline with the inauguration of a committee in Abuja to look into the issue.  

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry , Hajya Binta Bello, via the statement, charged the Ministerial Committee on the Establishment of a National Carrier to pursue the assignment with vigor in view of its national importance.

She said the inauguration of the Committee became imperative in view of the interest shown in the venture by President Muhammadu Buhari and his recent marching directives to the Ministry to immediately commence the process of establishing one.

“Hajiya Binta Bello said the establishment of a national carrier is not only justified by economic considerations, but also strategic national interest, national pride and job creation potentials,” the Ministry said.

A former Managing Director of Discovery Airlines, Captain Mohammed Abdulsalam, will serve as the chairman of the panel. It is tasked with reviewing previous Consultants’ submissions and recommendations on a National Carrier, and reviews the report on the failure of the defunct Nigeria Airways and other failed private airlines.

The Committee is also mandated to consult widely with stakeholders, including interested international partners, on the establishment of a National Carrier on a Public-Private Partnership model.

The Permanent Secretary also charged the Committee to invite the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to determine the debt profile of domestic airlines to serve as a guide in its recommendations, and to develop the optimum model for a National Carrier for Nigeria.