FG ’ll own no equity in new national carrier – Minister

Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah

The Federal Government will own no share in the planned new national carrier, the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, has said.

Oduah said this at the inauguration of the newly refurbished VIP lounge of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on Friday.

She also disclosed that the Federal Government would build five new terminals in five airports across the country in order to raise the airports to international standards.

The new terminals, which will be ready within 12 months are to be located in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Sokoto and Jos.

According to the minister, even the newly refurbished VIP lounge does not meet the standard that the Federal Government plans to promote especially with the new terminals.

On the new national carrier, Oduah said the company would be incorporated as a public liability business to enable Nigerians to buy shares.

She said any private Nigerian carrier that met set standards would also be designated as a national carrier.

Oduah added that the road map for the transformation of the aviation industry, including details for the new national carrier, would be rolled out within the first two weeks of January 2012.

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who inaugurated the new VIP lounge, pledged the support of the National Assembly in realising the transformation of the aviation sector.

Ekweremadu said Nigerians expect transformation of the country under President Goodluck Jonathan in two main areas – good governance and infrastructure development.

He said, "I must say that after the election of President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerians were very expectant and one of the two key areas that they were expectant is good governance.

"In good governance they will like to see an eradication or reduction in the area of corruption. They will like to see transparency in governance and they believe that President Jonathan represents that change.

"Nigerians expect to see a major change in the infrastructure deficit in this country and in that regard we will like to see an improvement in the transport sector. Today we see that change coming in transport infrastructure."

He praised government for the lounge as well as the decision to establish a new national carrier, saying he was proud to be a Nigerian because of the changes coming to the sector.

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