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It seems there might be just enough time for President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver another one of his promises to the Nigerian people as the plane for Nigeria Air is set to arrive in the country on Friday, May 26, 2023, ahead of the commencement of operations.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
It'd be recalled that upon assumption of office in 2015, President Buhari had vowed to ensure that Nigeria has a national carrier after the former one, Nigerian Airways, liquidated in 2004.
However, the Buhari government has struggled to get the project off the ground, almost five years after unveiling the name at the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom.
While the government refused to give up on the idea, funding has proven to be the major impediment clipping the wings of the proposed airline.
This has forced the government to seek partnerships with private investors and another airline company.
Even though the Minister has always assured that the project would take off before the end of Buhari's tenure on May 29, Nigerians have remained sceptical about this possibility.
But, Sirika may well prove many people wrong even in the very twilight of the Buhari administration.
Speaking to Channels Television in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, the Minister said a Nigeria Air aircraft will land in the country on Friday as part of processes to commence operations and unveiling of the delivery process.
He also promised that the plane will be unveiled in Nigeria's colours in fulfilment of the promises made by the administration in the aviation sector.
Sirika said, “On the question of Nigeria Air, on Friday in two days, Nigeria Air plane will land in Nigeria as part of the processes to commence operation. We will on that day unveil this aircraft, the livery and everything in Nigeria’s colours, belong to Nigeria Air and we will proceed to go and do the retrofit and bring back those aeroplanes.”
The Minister, however, said that the only incomplete item is the aerotropolis, which is the airport city and is 60% complete.
He said the groundwork has been completed and that the next administration is expected to conclude work on the airport city.