Air Nigeria: House of Reps begins hearing today

The House of Representatives has concluded plans to kickstart its official probe into the activities of the top officials of the aviation and justice ministries over Air Nigeria today.

The House of Reps Committee on Aviation has as a result rescheduled its investigative hearing on the controversial launch of Air Nigeria, the country’s national airline by the administration led by the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari.

The committee had invited relevant stakeholders to the hearing earlier scheduled for Monday, June 5, 2023, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

However, representatives of most of the stakeholders had departed the venue before the arrival of the committee’s Chairman, Nnolim Nnaji, who came in about two hours late.

The stakeholders invited by the committee include the Ministry of Aviation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Airline Operators of Nigeria, Ethiopian Airlines as well as the aviation fuel (Jet-A1) suppliers.

Nnaji, after his arrival, apologised to stakeholders who waited behind at the venue, asking that the hearing be postponed to 3 pm on Tuesday (today).

The Buhari administration had failed to deliver Nigeria Air after eight years, over the controversy that surrounded the national carrier.

The Federal Government (FG) had boycotted domestic airlines, under the aegis of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, and signed a deal with Ethiopian Airlines to float the Nigerian carrier.

The AON had consequently dragged the government and its agencies before a court to stop the process.

The FG on Friday took delivery of the first plane of the country’s national carrier, Nigeria Air, at the twilight of the administration amidst protests from local operators that it was contrary to a court order, which barred the government from taking further action on the project.