Senator Uba Sani, the Chairman Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, stated that the chamber is unhappy with the Aviation Ministry and its agencies for hindering the efforts of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to establish NG Eagle.
AMCON, a government debt resolution agency, has been trying to set up the new airline, yet found itself denied the final Air Operating Certificate (AOC) to enable scheduled operations.
The 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is said to be peeved that certain agencies of government are working at cross-purposes, neglecting the best interest of the nation’s economy.
“This AMCON intervention in Arik Air and the frustration the agency is going through because of its proposal to set up NG Eagle as the best option to recover its investment in the airlines is not supposed to be,” said Sani on Wednesday.
“AMCON getting involved in the airline is not from a recovery perspective, but from a national duty perspective to ensure that the airline continued to operate given its strategic importance in the aviation sector at that time,” he continued.
“I think we are about to lose billions of naira because of ego. The ministry (Aviation) is not being realistic with this proposal of a national carrier and because of that is frustrating the efforts of AMCON on NG Eagle,” Mr Sani further explained referring to the ministry proposal that the government is to own only five per cent of the new national carrier.
