National carrier: Nigeria needs strong, efficient global competitors not nomenclature- Dr. Olowo
PRESIDENT, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Dr. Gabriel Olowo has said the entry or exit of a national carrier is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things so long as the nation can produce strong, efficient, globally competitive flag carriers.
This is just as he has said Nigeria has pitched its tent with Air Peace as a carrier, the way it did when Arik was flying international routes following the federal government’s reaction to the imbroglio between it and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over The airline’s slot allocation.
Olowo who was responding to questions also called on government to take the same stand on other routes within its Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) to sanitize all of them.
He said, “I’m not worried about time of entry or exist of any carrier, my earnest desire is to see the emergence of strong, efficient, globally competitive Nigerian Flag Carriers. The weight thrown by government on the Air Peace/ Emirate commercial negotiations in UAE disagreement is a confirmation that Nigeria already endorsed that flag Carrier by throwing its weight behind them.
“A commendable Aero Politics indeed. It was so with Arik Air before its demise. I am trusting that the same steam will be deployed to sanitize all the routes which posts negative trade balance to Nigeria viv a vis BASAs till date. No thanks to corruption. Government should go its full hull to all destinations served by all countries hitherto in preparation for additional one or two more Nigerian Flag Carriers,” he said.
