Buhari’s govt conceived Nigeria Air to correct past mistakes – Sirika

The former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said on Monday the establishment of Nigeria Air was to rectify the failures of the past in the operations of national carriers.

Sirika, who spoke during an interaction with journalists in Abuja, said former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration incorporated Nigeria Air as a private company.

The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation had on June 6 ordered the suspension of flight operations and other actions associated with the Nigeria Air project.

The committee described the unveiling of Nigeria Air as a fraud and called for the prosecution of individuals or organizations involved in the exercise.

This followed claims that the unveiling of the national carrier was shrouded in secrecy.

The Nigeria Air was unveiled on May 26 in Abuja.

Sirika, however, said the display of the aircrafc that heralded the inauguration was a market strategy employed by the shareholders to launch the business in the minds of customers in Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Sirika alleges Reps committee chairman asked for 5% stake in Nigeria Air

He said: “When we looked at past efforts to drive a national carrier by both the government and private sector, we saw that we need to initiate a different approach that will launch Nigeria into global reckoning.

“The idea was that we should have less government investment to make it a purely business-driven venture that will work effectively and efficiently and achieve world-class standards.

“We, therefore, invited local and foreign investors with credible records to form part of the proposed national carrier. The shareholders of this airline went through due process before their selection.

“Nigerians need to have more faith in the government to encourage it to carry out development programmes and projects that are beneficial to the populace.

“The general apathy and disbelieve in anything that government does must change.”

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