National carrier on course, says Sirika

Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said that the plan to establish a new national carrier remains on course and due to resume at a later date.

Sirika said contrary to claims, the huge capital investment project had attracted a retinue of “quality investors” that are ready to stake 95 per cent equity in Nigeria Air.

But the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at a function at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos yesterday, had said that the project was suspended because expected investors were not forthcoming.

Sirika, in a statement signed by his Deputy Director, Media & Public Affairs, James Odaudu, denied the claim, saying: 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.”