The federal government has renamed the Ministry of Aviation to the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace but Nigeria Air, the country’s national carrier, flying before the end of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration seems lost in a sea of uncertainty.
Development Diaries reports that the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made the announcement on the sidelines of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He explained that aviation and aerospace are interwoven, and Nigeria must design its policies ahead of time to take account of changing circumstances.
The minister linked the development to the establishment of the African Aerospace and Aviation University in Abuja.
In April 2023, Nigerians were given assurances by the aviation ministry that the contentious Nigeria Air would start operating before 29 May.
However, with less than two weeks to the inauguration of Bola Tinubu as president, Nigeria is unlikely to have its national carrier ready for the airspace.
Instead, the aviation minister goes ahead to announce the change of the ministry’s name. Is that really an issue of concern at the moment?
It is about time that the federal government provides a suitable explanation on whether the national carrier can or will fly or not.
The federal government had in the 2017 Appropriation Act, budgeted the sum of N555 million for the establishment of a national carrier and N200 million for consultancy for the establishment.
Additionally, N50 million was set aside in 2018 for the carrier’s establishment, while N20 million went toward consulting.
Also, Sirika had in 2018 refuted claims that the ministry spent $600,000 to create a logo for the national carrier, after which the project was suspended.
These inconsistencies show a pattern of insincerity from the federal government and also show a lack of commitment on its part to prioritise the establishment of a national carrier.
Development Diaries calls on the Minister of Aviation to either communicate when exactly the national carrier would commence operations or outrightly apologise to Nigerians for the failure of this administration to establish Nigeria Air.
Photo source: Federal Ministry of Aviation
