Following the unveiling of Nigerian air on the 26th of May 2023 shortly before the end of the immediate past administration, brows have been raised in many quarters.
Reports ranging from the ownership of the aircraft used ,it’s return to Ethiopian airlines, country of registration and age of aircraft elicited reactions from Nigerians across the country.
The National assembly inquiry led to the MD Nigeria Air Capt. Dapo Olumide revealing to the Senate Committee on Aviation on Tuesday, that Nigeria Air had yet to secure an operating licence for full flight operations, saying that the processes were still at the early stages.He confirmed that the aircraft was chartered from Ethiopian airlines and was actively flying for the owners up to four days before it was unveiled as Nigeria Air.
Questions being asked are many, including the urgency behind an unveiling done under circumstances that are controversial.
The aviation ministry including the Permanent secretary who it is believed should have played a role in ensuring due process was followed is being accused of complicity and calls have come from some quarters for a thorough investigation .
It is alleged that the previous Permanent Secretary removed from the Ministry and posted out by the outgone minister refused to compromise on some shady deals including the “Nigeria Air” Project which is now the reference of corruption allegation in the Public Service. It is further alleged that the Minister hurriedly arranged the posting of the present PS to the ministry, a Medical Doctor, who would do his bidding .
Some stakeholders in the aviation sector who spoke under condition of anonymity have expressed displeasure over his continued retention as Permanent secretary while his office is under investigation. According to them, he could hinder access to essential information and records to prove the allegation of fraud in the Ministry since they are in his immediate possession and control.
Given the body language of this administration and it’s fix it approach which has seen a number of sacks and invitations to EFCC, Nigerians are expressing hope that this government will nip the excesses of some Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of extra Ministerial Agencies in the bud.
The former minister of aviation,Hadi Sirika speaking to journalists said “Between the years 2016-2023, all the money budgeted for Nigeria Air, was about N5 billion but not all of it was released. Perhaps about N3 billion was released”.
“Part of the N3 billion has so far been spent on the acquisition of offices, payments of consultancy fees, workers’ salaries and processing of Air Operators ‘Certificate (AOC).”
A wholistic probe is in order to verify this.
To achieve sanitization in government agencies, this government will require a total and comprehensive investigation into the activities of all the Permanent Secretaries, especially that of the Aviation Ministry to unravel the answers to the questions behind the Nigeria Air project and other internal allegations of mismanagement and abuse of office. One of such allegations is that some contracts are awarded but not executed even when payments have been 100% completed.
Too many questions are begging for answers and aviation stakeholders are perturbed that in a sector where safety and global standards are sacrosanct, setting a precedence of letting corruption be swept under the carpet will have ripple effects that could ultimately dent Nigeria’s global image in the industry.
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