Proposed National Airline: Committee Submits Report To FG

The 13-member committee that was set up by the Federal Government on the establishment of a national carrier on Friday submitted its report to the government.
The Federal Government confirmed that it had received the report from the committee, which it set up in August to complete its assignment and submit its report within four weeks.

The government said the report received from the committee contains recommendations that will guide it as it works towards establishing a national airline for the country, adding that it was put together after the committee consulted with local and international partners.
The report was received by Mrs. Binta Bello, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, at the headquarters of the ministry in Abuja.

Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that the Ministry of Aviation should commence work on the establishment of a national carrier, Bello had on Monday, August 24, inaugurated the committee on the establishment of the country’s flag carrier.

At the inauguration in Abuja, Bello charged members of the committees to pursue the assignment with all seriousness because of its national importance.
She said the inauguration of the committee became imperative in view of the interest shown by the president which prompted his marching orders to the ministry to immediately commence the process of establishing a national carrier.

While underscoring the establishment of a national carrier, Bello said it was not only justified by economic considerations, but also strategic national interest, national pride and job creation potential.

The committee, which has a former Managing Director of Discovery Airlines, Captain Muhammad Abdullahi, as Chairman, is charged with reviewing previous consultants’ submissions and recommendations on a national carrier.
“The committee must expand it searchlight by reviewing the report on the failure of the defunct Nigeria Airways and other failed private airlines,” Bello said.

The committee also has the mandate to consult widely with stakeholders on the establishment of a national carrier, including interested international partners on setting up a national carrier on the basis of Public Private Partnership (PPP) strategy.

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 flag carrier for the country.

By Patrick Aigbokhan

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