National airline would reduce capital flight, says Kalu

Posted on by Wole Shadare

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  • Nigeria lost N500b to foreign carriers in 2017

 Former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has thrown his weight behind the establishment of a national carrier, Nigeria Air, stressing that the move would help to reduce capital flight.

He expressed the optimism that the establishment of a national airline would go a long way in stemming the huge capital flight associated with the patronage of foreign airlines by Nigerians.

 Nigeria lost an estimated N500 billion in 2017 to foreign airlines in ticket sales, according to a recent data by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)

 He lambasted critics of the project for their ignorance, noting that,  “Those criticising Nigeria Air never knew that it is only through the government that you can build a strong economy. It is only when government invests in the economy managed by private sector that we can move forward”

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 The ex-governor who spoke to reporters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos  also lauded the model, Public Private Partnership (PPP) adopted by the Federal Government, saying that the private sector would run the airline successfully because of their equity in the start-up airline.

 Kalu who was Chairman of Slok Air commended President Muhammadu led-government for finally giving Nigerians a national airline, just as he requested that a similar PPP model be adopted in the establishment of viable rail and water transportation mode for Nigerians.

 The Minister of State of Aviation, Hadi Sirika at the unveiling of the name and logo of the airline at the Farnborough Airshow in London in the presence of prospective investors, airline manufacturers and strategic partners said the government equity of the organisation will not be more than five per cent.

He said the need to get the national carrier was in fulfilment of the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigerians in 2015 to give the country a befitting national airline.

The minister expressed confidence that Nigeria would have a well-run national flag carrier that would be a global player, compliant to international safety standards and customers’ oriented.

“The Federal Government should just own  percent in the national airline must praise the Minister of State for Aviation and the people that put the structure that is making waves today,” said Kalu.
“Those structures are solid ones and if they can maintain it, Nigeria Air will compete with other foreign carriers that dominate our airspace,” he added.
  “I laud the good initiative of the government in establishing a national airline for a country like Nigeria where as citizens we are spending all our money on foreign airlines,” said Kalu.

 “It is good we have a strong dominant airline back up by government. The government has done fantastically well; that is what l believe should be done. But it should be replicated in the rail, waterways, shipping line and other transport industries.

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 “Ethiopian Airlines is still owned by government. I maintain all my aircraft with them so l know that they are capable of doing. Government should not event stop at that, they should allow the private sector initiative to go into the new shipping line and others”, he added.

Wole Shadare