FG committed to resolving airlines’ blocked funds-Minister

Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika has restated Nigeria’s commitment to the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)  assuring the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and foreign airlines that his Ministry was concerned, and will do her very best to resolve the matter of blocked funds as soon as possible.

The Minister stated this on Tuesday when he met with the IATA and foreign airline operators to discuss the salient issues affecting the organizations and the country.

He urged international airline operators to be very considerate when dealing with the issue bearing in mind the effects of Covid 19 and the recession the country had experienced.

Speaking earlier, Dr. Samson Fatokun, Area Manager of West and Central Africa who led the delegation expressed gratitude to the Minister for his continuous support for the growth of air transport in Nigeria and for the actualization of his role as a catalyst for the growth of the Nigerian economy.

He said the global airline community would like to appeal to Sirika for special intervention in resolving airline blocked funds issues in Nigeria, lamenting that the airlines are facing collateral damage and average Nigeria is bearing the brunt of this issue.

Susan Akporiaye, President National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) added that “It is a very difficult time for us as some of us are already giving up on the industry and going into other business. It is our loss and also the loss of the country as we don’t sell more tickets as we use to, and this will further increase the unemployment situation if this issue is not attended to’’

Wole Shadare