Sirika decries aviation crises, says no solution in sight
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, says no immediate solution in sight to solve the multipronged crises rocking Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The minister stated this during an emergency meeting with Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) in Abuja on Tuesday, saying the variables impacting the crises in the aviation sector are beyond the industry’s control, thus there is no immediate solution.
Sirika said there is no short term solution because of the variables involved especially that it is a global problem.
“Energy crisis is real and it is global. Today there is aviation fuel problem all over the world. From America to New Zealand. It is aggravating in Nigeria because we don’t produce the product.
It’s aggravated also because the foreign exchange is scarce in Nigeria because the source of earning the foreign exchange also has dwindled”, he explained.
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He reiterated that the Federal Government had in the past sourced 10,000 metric tons of aviation fuel for the airlines, adding that the government is willing to do more.
“As we speak, the government is in the process of finding a permanent solution to this issue”, he assured.
Some of the solutions, he said, include, “Importation of the product at appropriate price, accelerating the refurbishment of our refineries and also wait for the coming on stream of Dangote Refinery to boost supply of the product.”
Thus he submitted that it cannot be soon. “So when you ask how soon, I wouldn’t know when Dangote will come on stream, I wouldn’t know how soon the refineries will be filled.
I wouldn’t know when imports would become sufficient. But the government is working towards all these to happen”, he assured.
He also said he will meet with relevant stakeholders including the CBN so the airlines can access dollars at the official market rate rather than the black market rate.
The President, AON, Alh. Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, in his comment said the aviation fuel crisis began from N180 per litre and now it’s at N1000 per litre. He also said the forex crisis is a huge burden on the industry. “
The rate at which the dollar is escalating now is very alarming. Every day, a difference between N10-N5 is added at the parallel market. Last week Monday, it was N610 but today, it is N670 to one dollar”, he said.
He thus called on the minister to intervene. Also commenting, Mr. Allen Oyeama, the Vice President, AON, said the AON was satisfied with the government intervention in the industry.
Sirika decries aviation crises, says no solution in sight