The Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, Tuesday assured Nigerians that the proposed National Carrier, would commence operations before the end of September. According to her, all the necessary framework and legal requirements for the smooth roll out of the carrier are already in place. She said: “Well, I think that everything we need to do for the carrier to take off is in place.

“We are just waiting for the approval from presidency and the Federal Executive Council (FEC), to take off, so give or take, the new national carrier will take off before the end of the third quarter.” Besides, the final approval from presidency and FEC, she added that every other thing was there, including the the legal framework establishing the national carrier. “We are awaiting the final approval from FEC and the presidency to roll out the carrier,” Oduah stated.

The minister who spoke exclusively with THISDAY on phone in Abuja through her Special Adviser on Communication and Media, Mr. Joe Obi, made the disclosure, while reacting to the pessimism expressed by the Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, in an interview published in THISDAY, The Sunday Newspaper, that the proposed national carrier would not work, adding that Yuguda’s fear or pessimism about the national carrier was misplaced. While expressing confidence on the success of the proposed carrier, Oduah averred: “Yes the governor like many Nigerians are yet to understand that we are talking about a national carrier that would have an entirely different architecture to the one that we used to know before, here we are talking about a new national carrier with a different architecture from everything that we knew before.

“In fact, we are doing all that we can to encourage those kind of partnership and alliances that Yuguda talked about. “This national carrier that we are talking about is supposed to be private sector driven, government is only providing the legal and other framework, and the enabling environment for the carrier to take off.” According to her, there is going to be a core investor who will be a private entity and then other shares of the company will be thrown to Nigerians, “you and I, including the governor and every other person will buy in, assuring that the carrier will also be professionally managed. Oduah said the former national carrier failed due to bad management.

“This one will be private sector-driven, will be managed by professionals who managed other carriers elsewhere in the world, and don’t forget that since it is going to be private sector-driven with private sector funds, there is no private sector corporate entity that will put in so much money in setting up a capital intensive business like aero plane business and will now leave it to mediocres to manage. “When he, Yuguda, was Minister of Aviation, I think if he felt there was a better way of taking this carrier and domestic carriers in the country to form the kind of mergers he is talking about, at least he should have achieved that, but the fact that he didn’t achieve it doesn’t mean others cannot do,” she said.

The minister was optimistic that the roll out in September would be a success like the entire remodelling projects at the various airports, adding: “When we started, there were a lot of skeptics who said we were not going to accomplish it that we were biting more than we can chew, but today all 22 federally owned airports have taken a new shape, 11 airports in the first phase and another in the second phase that is still ongoing, some skeptics like the governor who believe that we were not going to be able to do it simply because others failed in the past, that others failed in the past including himself is not a recipe for others to fail at least the leadership in the aviation ministry today has shown that with the commitment and right leadership, goals and objective can be achieved in the aviation sector.” While allaying the governor’s fears, Oduah said: “Those fears for now are misplaced because everything that we are doing is different from what was done before so his fears are misplaced.

This national carrier will succeed. I think that himself and us will all be living witnesses to see that the present national carrier will be an embodiment of the wishes and dreams and aspirations of the Nigerian government and people.

” The minister however admitted that the aviation industry required high technology and capital intensive to function saying the fact that Nigeria has attained the category 1 status of the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), means that she has come of age. “like he said and the point that we are playing at the highest level of the industry; Nigeria is a category 1 country and that there are just about 5 or so in the whole of the continent, the fact that we have the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S for the category 1 certified country and just one of the few in Africa means that we are playing at the highest level,” she said.

According to her, there cannot be anything higher than that, as there are some other European, South American countries and Asian countries that are yet to attain the category 1 certified status as Nigeria. “So there is nothing to suggest practically that we are not playing the high tech policies and business of aviation,” Oduah stated.

PapaBrowne: While I think you are doing a great job ma, I think a national carrier is ill conceived especially if it is intended to be a Government owned company. As at the last check, no business owned by government ever works so there is no reason why a national carrier would be an exception.

But lets see how it goes. September 2013 and you haven't started recruiting. Hmmm.

“This one will be private sector-driven, will be managed
by professionals who managed other carriers elsewhere in
the world, and don’t forget that since it is going to be
private sector-driven with private sector funds, there is no
private sector corporate entity that will put in so much
money in setting up a capital intensive business like aero
plane business and will now leave it to mediocres to
manage."

Okija juju: Another National Carrier

First it was Nigerian Airways, Then Virgin Nigeria, then Air Nigeria, I wonder what this one would be called?!

Flygeria...


Anyways.. I never understood why the government didn't find a way of keeping Virgin Nigeria here. They were quite good during the period they operated and had just purchased 10 Brand new Embraer Jets before the quarrel started.

Any new company coming had better not be government owned. Infact, make government shift..

Okija juju: Another National Carrier

First it was Nigerian Airways, Then Virgin Nigeria, then Air Nigeria, I wonder what this one would be called?!

Flygeria...


Anyways.. I never understaood why the government didnt find a way of keeping Virgin Nigeria here. They were quite good during the period they operated and had just purchased 1o Brand new Embrier Jets before the quarrel started.

Any new company coming had better not be government owned. Infact, make government shift..

awodman:
“When we started, there were a lot of skeptics who said
we were not going to accomplish it that we were biting
more than we can chew, but today all 22 federally
owned airports have taken a new shape, 11 airports in
the first phase and another in the second phase that is
still ongoing, some skeptics like the governor who
believe that we were not going to be able to do it simply
because others failed in the past, that others failed in
the past including himself is not a recipe for others to
fail at least the leadership in the aviation ministry today
has shown that with the commitment and right
leadership, goals and objective can be achieved in the
aviation sector.” While allaying the governor’s fears,
Oduah said: “Those fears for now are misplaced
because everything that we are doing is different from
what was done before so his fears are misplaced.

Okija juju: Another National Carrier

First it was Nigerian Airways, Then Virgin Nigeria, then Air Nigeria, I wonder what this one would be called?!

Flygeria...


Anyways.. I never understaood why the government didnt find a way of keeping Virgin Nigeria here. They were quite good during the period they operated and had just purchased 1o Brand new Embrier Jets before the quarrel started.

Any new company coming had better not be government owned. Infact, make government shift..

Coco diva: I pray it works out fine. It'l be a good addition to the dwindling number of airlines we have now.

PapaBrowne: While I think you are doing a great job ma, I think a national carrier is ill conceived especially if it is intended to be a Government owned company. As at the last check, no business owned by government ever works so there is no reason why a national carrier would be an exception.

But lets see how it goes. September 2013 and you haven't started recruiting. Hmmm.

PapaBrowne: While I think you are doing a great job ma, I think a national carrier is ill conceived especially if it is intended to be a Government owned company. As at the last check, no business owned by government ever works so there is no reason why a national carrier would be an exception.

But lets see how it goes. September 2013 and you haven't started recruiting. Hmmm.