Air Peace, local airlines have no capacity to be national carrier – Hadi Sirika

Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has said no local airline in the country had the capacity to be a national carrier.

Sirika who was speaking on Arise TV on Sunday, was reacting to allegations of fraud raised on the unveiling of Nigeria Air.

Sirika said the aviaition ministry under his watch had given local airlines in the country all the necessary support and equally invited them to be part of the bidding process for the national carrier.

He said: “We have promoted these local airlines beyond what anybody has done. 50 per cent of the local airlines flying in Nigeria today were licensed to fly during my tenure under Buhari government, so we have supported them in that areas. We have also supported them by removing taxes, Custom duties and VAT on aircraft and spares, that is unprecedented.”

Siriki also said he found the allegation that the business was shrouded in secrecy quite disturbing and mind boggling.

“During the procurement stage, we advertised in the national dailies and The Economist and also held a business conference which had in attendance members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria.

“We had a whole website dedicated and regulated by ICRC. The whole world knew about the bidding and some of the bidders asked for extension of time and we gave them four weeks.  And it was open and someone won.

“So where is the secrecy? We had six stakeholder conferences to discuss Nigeria Air. We had an outside business trip where we presented it to the public and stakeholders. And the meeting was done transparently. And don’t forget the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, the Attorney General and Aviation Minister were members of the evaluation team ICRC also issued a compliance certificate. I think it is in their imagination.

“I invited everyone of the local airlines that this was the first time that you have a well-structured airline who know who the business is done… Nigerians can remember the time I stood up for Air Peace and stood up that they be given the Dubai route, are they going now, no, no capacity,” he said.