The House of Representatives has declared the alleged launch of Nigeria Air at the end of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to be a fraud….Aircraft bearing the Nigeria Air logo, chartered from Ethiopian airline — Official
Nnolim Nnaji, chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, said that Nigeria Air’s launch was a scam after major players in the deal between the Federal Government and Ethiopian Airlines denied knowing about it.
The committee dismissed the Ministry of Aviation’s claim that Nigeria Air was only unveiled and not launched as an attempt to divert lawmakers’ attention.
Individuals from the board of trustees were stunned when NAMA unveiled that the airplane bearing Nigerian tones was on a sanctioned trip to Nigeria.
A chartered flight could be painted in any color and with any inscription, according to other stakeholders who confirmed the disclosure.
Nigerian NewsDirect’s findings indicate that Nigeria Air, the controversial proposed national carrier, has not yet completed Stage One of the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) process before bringing in a painted Ethiopian Airline aircraft to frighten Nigerians.
This is similarly as the Nigerian Common Flight Authority (NCAA), has told the carrier the executives that its Post Holders letters of responsibility has a residency of three (90 days) and has terminated.
NCAA/DOLTS/GEN/Vol., a letter from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to the prospective airline’s managing director, III/16123 named Re: The CAA made it clear in its Request to Proceed to Phase Two of AOC Certification dated June 2, 2023 that the airline must have certain documents in order to proceed to the second phase.
“The Authority is in receipt of your letter dated 25th May, 2023 on the above subject matter,” read the letter to Nigeria Air. Your letter of request to proceed to Phase Two does not include a Formal Application Form or the necessary documents referenced in the Formal Application Form, which is quite the opposite of our previous letter of May 16, 2023, which listed the documents to be submitted with the Formal Application Form OPS 002.
The letter went on to say that as a result, “the Certification Process cannot progress to Phase Two (2) without these required documents.” Please be reminded that the letters of commitment from your Post Holders to Nigeria Air have an expiration date of three months and are currently in effect. Please accept our sincere assurances.
A mysterious source who addressed our reporter expressed that with the termination of the residency of placeholders the aircraft might need to begin the cycle all once more.
According to various flight tracking applications, the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 with the registration number ET-APL, which is currently being used for static display in Abuja, has already flown to Turkey, Somalia, and Mogadishu, among other destinations.
Sen. Biodun Olujimi, Chairman of the Committee, had earlier expressed regret over the failure of the former Minister of Aviation to involve the committee and other stakeholders in the Nigeria Air project.
“To state the obvious, despite the level of respect members accorded him whenever he was invited to meetings, he failed to carry members of the Committee along in virtually all ramifications.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria Air’s Acting Managing Director, Capt. According to Dapo Olumide, the aircraft carrying the airline’s logo was rented from Ethiopian Airlines for the purpose of unveiling the logo.
Olumide made this statement when he testified before the Senate Committee on Aviation on Tuesday in Abuja.
He stated that the procedures were still in their infancy and that the airline had yet to obtain an operating license for full-flight operations.
Olumide stated that the aircraft was utilized until the airline’s operational procedures were completed.
He stated that his responsibility was to obtain a license to fly in addition to an air operating certificate for the airline.
The plane that arrived and left was a legitimate charter flight.
“Anybody of us here in the event that we have a picturesque marriage in Senegal, we can sanction an airplane.
You don’t need a license to do that; all you have to do is charter an aircraft, pay for it, bring it here, load up your passengers, and go.
“Indeed we did “Also, that. However, in this instance, it was to display Nigeria Air’s logo. Olumide stated, “We thought it was time to show what the real aircraft will look like also to let shareholders see. Since 2018, all you have ever seen about Nigeria Air were pictures, drawings, and not the actual aircraft.”
He continued, “We have institutional investors, who are not in the aviation industry but are putting their money into the company for 10 to 15 years, so they need to see what the actual aircraft will look like.”
“As a result, we brought it here to show them how the aircraft will look, and then the social media aspect came into play.
“Before the NCAA will grant us a license, which is my mandate, we must, among other things, have three aircraft, and those three aircraft must be registered in Nigeria.
“There are knowledgeable individuals in the aviation industry who could have countered that when social media came out, but they chose not to,” the author explains. “So when this aircraft came on a chartered flight, everyone said we have launched Nigeria Air.”
Olumide Odunayo, a specialist in aviation, responded quickly, “nothing can be further from the truth, house Committee are writing their position.”
“You cannot come and reveal; why not tell the entire world before then that we will launch and it will fly on that day?” They disclosed that name around 2017/18. The second time, it was shown off.
“This time, they flew a chartered flight-operating aircraft owned by Ethopians. The only thing that links the flight to Nigeria is the Nigeria Air sticker that was applied to the aircraft’s body. About four days prior to its arrival in Nigeria, that aircraft flew passengers on charter out of Nigeria, and the following day, it resumed its regular flight schedule. That was a lease aircraft, not a Nigerian aircraft.
However, I see the House of Representatives’ position playing to the gallery. While all of this was going on, they were reading the newspapers and listening to what people in the industry were saying. Despite taking nearly four days to leave the office, they have called everyone to bring documents and have not called about the issue. There isn’t anything they’ve said that we didn’t have the foggiest idea.
“I think we should wait until the incoming House of Representatives has been sworn in to see how well we can continue to look for ways to cook reform,” the author asserts.
