The House of Representatives has called for reforms in the aviation sector.
The Speaker Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, made the call at a meeting with the minister of Aviation, and operators of local airlines in the country.
Mr Gbajabiamila said as the gateway to any country, government needed to do about local terminals of Nigerian airports.
He pointed out that it was worthy of note to mention that with the level of work going on at the airports, the Nigerian aviation sector is bouncing back to business.
The Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, said Nigeria Air limited is to start work before the end of December.
“We have given every single Nigerian in the sector the opportunity to participate in this airline. I want to commit here that between now and December, the airline will work”. Sirika said.
Mr Sirika stated that most of the terminals under construction will be commissioned before the end of the current administration.
He revealed that the ministry have ordered for twenty training airlines that uses PMS saying nine have been delivered.
On why the country has only five percent in the Nigeria Air project, the minister said Nigeria got only five percent because the ministry does not believe that government being involved in business will do well.
He sited the case of Nigeria Airways that was run down because of government involvement.
While responding to why Ethiopia Air was the only bidder in the process, the minister said single bidding is in tandem with the law and there is nothing wrong with it.
According to him, Nigeria Air limited carrying the flag of Nigeria does not mean it must belong to Nigeria, adding that there was a complete misconceptions about the ownership of the Nigeria Air limited, as the government owns five percent while other stakeholders hold forty six percent of the business totaling fifty one percent.
The Chairman House Committee on Aviation Mr Nnoli Nnaji, argued that the decision to allow Ethiopians manage the Nigerian airline was wrong being that Ethiopia was a big competition
Other lawmakers at the meeting pointed out that there was the need to tinker properly and come up with what will be of great benefit to the people and government of Nigeria.
The Spokesperson of the Airlines Operators of Nigeria Mr. Roland Iyayi, observed that the partnership with Ethiopia Air was ill advised.
He noted that if Nigeria Airlines Limited begins operations in the hostile environment local airlines operates, it will fail.
RADIO NIGERIA