Thursday, September 27, 2012

Federal Government ready to float new National Carrier?





The problem I always have with people fortunate to serve in government is their laziness to read and examine past or present records, that are immediately available to them, and that are relevant to the ideas and ideals they conjure from wherever and aggressively pursued to force Nigerians to believe or accept. The macabre dance of a National Carrier by the Ministry of Aviation is frenziedly becoming dizzying and could lead to a state of delirium if not checked now.

According to Thisday Newspaper (Friday September 28, 2012), “Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Aviation, Joe Obi, confirmed to THISDAY that the proposed national carrier would be wholly privately owned and would operate in partnership with an international airline.

He explained that it might be entirely new airline with foreign partnership or an existing one that can emerge as a national carrier but what is clear now is that government will not play any role in its ownership and control. It will be owned by Nigerians through IPO, although the template of that is still being worked on.”   

If the above report is true, are the things said by the Ministry’s spokesperson different from what took place when Virgin Nigeria Airways was about to be started? What is the fate of that product today?

People who conceived the idea of Virgin Nigeria are alive and I believe they will be ready to give the necessary advice and I know they will confirm that what they conceived then was not different from what the Ministry is promoting and that it will lead to the same end.

However, if the Ministry is concerned about a nomenclature – Nigeria Airways – why not go to Arik Air or Aero and ask that they do a change of name.

Today, the world is concerned with free enterprise promoted my private interest and not government enterprise promoted my interim holder of government positions. That is why most Ministries and their agencies are like glorified junkyards Rehabilitating the airports to attractive and passenger-friendly complexes is more important than the distraction of government-coordinated airline in the name of a National Carrier.   

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