Nigeria former Aviation minister address Nigeria Air controversy

Former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika don reveal say so far na only three billion naira Federal goment bin bring come for di Nigerian Air project.

E say as at di time wey im bin comot from office, di money wey di goment bin drop for di airline waka still remain.

Oga Sirika make di clarification during im interview wit Arise TV say, "di mata of 83 billion naira just dey ridiculous".

E reveal say "di structure of dat company (Nigeria Air) be say 5% dey for Federal goment wey Ministry of Finance dey hold for dem, 49% for strategic equity partner wey be Ethiopian Airline, 31% by MRS and 15% by SAHCO".

Di unveiling of Nigeria Air shock pipo on 29 May wey mark di end of di former President Muhammadu Buhari administration and many pipo bin no understand wetin happun.

But Oga Sirika try clear di air say, "Na di owners wey get di business run di unveiling as part of dia marketing strategy come invite me and I go, inspect di plane, make statement say di airline go dey operational once di AOC mata don settle".

E further reveal on di mata of di Abuja unveiling say, goment no drop shi-shi for dat plane as e dey enta di kontri.

As tins be, even if goment no wan run di mata of Nigeria Air again, di remaining shareholders fit kontinu to dey run di business as na only 5% goment dey hold.

"From 2016- 2023, all di money wey dem don vote and budget for national carrier na 5 billion naira, but all dem release na about three billion naira no be 85 billion."

Di journey of Nigeria Air bin get two phases, Sirika tok.

Di former Aviation minister bin explain say in di beginning, na goment suppose fund di enterprise wit $350 million wey di business suppose pay back but di business bin follow change.

E say, "di unveiling for Famborough na goment drive dat one, e suppose to dey as opportunity to discuss wit airplane makers, discuss wit stakeholders wey go like join and do road show.

"But wen we come back Nigeria and Nigeria Air come get im own shareholders, na for dia own marketing strategy dem decide say dem go unveil di airline, to come to Nigeria to take showcase how e go be pending wen di AOC (Airline Operators Certificate) don dey completed".

Painting di plane

Tori according to di National Bureau of Statistics bin put di amount dem spend at 83 billion naira but Oga Sirika quickly address dat claim.

E say "Na about three billion naira don dey released for di national carrier and we neva spend all di three billion finish as at di time wey I comot from office."

Wetin dem use di money do na "transactional advisory services, di AOC processes, salaries, consultancy services and di office for Abuja," na wetin im add.

E bash former Managing Director of di Nigerian Management Agency for wetin im tok about di money wey goment don comot for dis project say, "na di imagination of Roland Iyayi for di National Assembly wia im say 85 billion bin dey budgeted and spent and wen dem ask am e say NBS.

Make NBS question, weda na true say dem get am for record say, we don spend di money".

Still on money mata as e concern di May 29 unveiling, "Ethiopia airline bin enta di kontri dat day as charter, charter no mean say anybodi pay money or anytin. goment no pay shi-shi for dat plane to come in."

"Na dia marketing and dem come for special allowance wey dem call charter. If any pesin pay for anytin, e go be Ethiopian airline no be Nigerian goment at all".

"I hear say 139 billion bin dey used to paint di aircraft and bring am in, dat na very ridiculous somtin, becos dat kain money fit buy five brand new 737s".

E conclude say make pipo invoke di Freedom of Information Act and ask for information like dis kain one.

Between Sirika and Nnoli Nnaji

Senator Hadi Sirika comot to bash di idea say evritin wey concern dis Nigeria Air parole bin dey secret.

E reveal say dem bin host open bidding for pipo wey wan join as shareholders and even get six stake holders meetings on di mata.

E say, "Wetin di secrecy dey all about, I tink e dey inside dia imagination."

Sirika respond to statement wey di former chairmo of di House Committee on Aviation, Nnoli Nnaji wey call di whole mata say e be fraud.

Nnoli Nnaji, wey be House of Reps member wey dey represent Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency, bin release statement from d comittee say, "we wan put am on record say di comittee and di National Assembly bin no get role for di so called launch of Nigeria Air or anytin wey relate to am."

Di National carrier, 'Nigeria Air'

Na for 2021 wey di den Minister of Aviation bin assure Nigerians say di new national carrier, Nigeria Air go stand kakaraka wen e start operation for April 2022.

Hadi Sirika say dem go start di airline wit three rented aircraft (alias wet lease) from oda operators (wey be leasing company) most likely from Europe.

According to am dis go be di arrangement pending wen di owner of di business begin di order new planes.

Oga Sirika bin say di road map of Nigeria Air na to also set up leasing company as part of di airline - wen dem start operations.

Tori be say Nigeria at di moment no get any indigenous company wey dey rent aircraft.

But April 2022 pass without di operationalization of di airline.

Infact di airline neva still start – many tins happun including court cases, delay in reaching agreement wit di concession company and odas.

Despite all di controversies wey don happun di former Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika believe say im don lay di foundation and prepare evri tin wey dey necessary for Nigeria Air to operate.