Nigeria Air: You Lie, Sirika Counters Lai Mohammed Again

There was mild drama at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting as the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Siriki, openly tackled the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, for allegedly telling a lie.

Sirika was said to have tackled Mohammed over the explanation he gave as being the reason behind the recent suspension of the national carrier project, Nigeria Air.

It was gathered that the Information Minister told FEC that the national carrier project was suspended because investors who were supposed to partner the government on the project had reneged.

But countering Mohammed, Mr Sirika said “This couldn’t be farther from the truth,” rejecting the Information Minister’s submission. The Aviation Minister insisted that there were a bunch of investors ready to partner the government on the project.

Recall that Sirika had during the unveiling of the Nigeria Air logo in the United Kingdom said: “It is a business, not a social service. The government will not be involved in running it or deciding who runs it. The investors will have full responsibility for this.” The logo unveiling had held at the Farnborough International Air Show in London on July 18, 2018. But the Aviation Minister announced on September 19 that the national carrier project had been suspended without explaining why.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information had on Monday said of the Nigeria Air project: “If the understanding of government at the beginning was that the project might be self-financing or the project would be financed by investors and you think that such a project can no longer be sponsored by investors, either because they are not forthcoming or such venture can no longer be viable, the government is at the discretion to take a decision.

“The position of government in business is to provide the enabling environment and it is not to become the sole source of finance or funding and in addition, there is much more than funding in trying to get our national carrier. So, the Federal Government thinks this thing should be stepped down now until we get a better funding structure,” Mohammed had said.

But Mr Siriki has swiftly responded saying, “The Office of the Minister of State for Aviation has noted, with consternation, various opinions, comments and observations in the media regarding the status and the reasons for the recent suspension of the processes leading to the establishment of a Nigerian national carrier.

“Among the reasons being given for its suspension, especially in the social media is the absence of interested and ready investors.

“This couldn’t be farther from the truth, as the national carrier project has an avalanche of well-grounded and ready investors.

“It is also pertinent to clarify that the Federal Executive Council only suspended the process for the establishment of the national carrier for the time being. The project has not been killed. These clarifications have been made in the public interest,” the minister was quoted as saying in a statement by Mr. James Odaudu, Deputy Director, Media and Public Affairs, Ministry of Transportation.