Nigerian Air to begin operation before May 29 – Sirika

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said on Wednesday the new national carrier, Nigeria Air, would begin operation before May 29.

Sirika ,who disclosed this to State House reporters shortly at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said arrangements had been put in place for the smooth take-off of the airline.

The federal government had postponed the airline take-off twice over logistic and other challenges.

The minister said: “Nigeria Air Limited, I did say that we will get it going before the end of this administration and I have not withdrawn my words.

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“We have everything in place, the aircraft are in place, the offices, operational centres, the staffing and everything that we need to have in place.

“We’re doing the last-minute checks and waiting for the issuance of the AOC and it will fly.

“It will fly and it will be for the benefit of this country, for the size of population, the travelling public and what it does to the economy, especially to tourism, to African integration and to the AU Agenda 2063.

“It’s a very important project and I must say it will happen before the end of our tenure in the next four weeks and two days.”

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