Nigerian Federal Government has denied plans to convert embattled airline, Arik Air, to a national carrier.
The Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) had last week
officially taken over the airline over issues bordering on non-payment
of leases, frequent flight delays, constant fracas between Arik Staff
and irate passengers at both local and international airports, among
others..
Following the development, there were reports in a section of the
media that the FG had concluded plans to convert the Arik Air to
National carrier.
Reacting however, the Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs,
Aviation Ministry, Mr. James Odaudu, explained that the report was false
and unfounded.
He explained that the government only intervened in Arik through
AMCON in order to save the carrier from collapse, adding that the
Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had never given an inkling
to suggest that Arik will be converted to a national carrier.
Odaudu said, “I have heard such claims too and they are just
speculations. The federal government is not planning to convert Arik Air
to a national carrier, I don’t have that information. Like the minister
has always stated, the federal government will establish a private
sector driven national carrier.
“As far as I know, I don’t think the government will want to start a
national carrier with an airline that is full of encumbrances like Arik
Air. Why did AMCON take over Arik Air? It is because of the problems
faced by the airline.”
“We’ve heard even senior officials of the airline saying that the
Federal Government wants to take over Arik because it wants to establish
a national carrier, but to the best of my knowledge that’s not true.
The truth is that as far as government is concerned, the more healthy
airlines we have in the country, the better for us as a nation,” he told
Punch.