We’re Not In Charge Of Issuance Of AOCs, MinistryReplies Uba

The Ministry of Aviation has dismissed claims by Senator Sani Uba that it was frustrating the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) from floating a new airline, NG Eagle Airline.
Sani, who chairs the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, had accused the ministry of frustrating the issuance of Air Operating Certificate (AOC) to AMCON’s proposed NG Eagle, in preference for the floating of a national carrier for the country.
Reacting to the allegation, however, the Ministry of Aviation through its Director, Press and Public Affairs, James Odaudu urged the lawmaker to direct his concerns to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Odaudu said:”NCAA is in charge of issuance of AOCs, and also regulates the operation of airlines, not the ministry.”
This is even as Sani said that part of the reasons for denying NG Eagle an AOC was Federal Government’s fascination with a national carrier, saying the dream has since become unrealistic.
It would be recalled that the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Senator UbaSani, had declared that the 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was not happy that certain agencies of government were working at cross-purposes.
He saidin a press statement, that the development was not in the overall interest of the Nigerian economy.
Sani spoke at the Zuma Rock Resort in Niger State,adding that the Upper Chamber was particularly not happy with the Aviation Ministry, which he accused of frustrating the efforts of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), a government debt resolution agency that has scaled all hurdles required by law to set up a new airline tagged NG Eagle, but are being denied the final Air Operating Certificate (AOC) to enable the new airline to commence scheduled operations.
AMCON, in a statement by Head of Public Communications, Jude Nwauzor, recalled that AMCON’s intervention in Arik Air Limited (“Arik”) in February of 2017 was supported by the Ministry of Aviation to prevent imminent collapse of another Nigerian airline, especially one that controlled over 60% of the domestic air transportation in the country, among other public concerns.
He said the intervention was necessary at that time for the continued existence of the airline.
AMCON said it was setting up NG Eagle as strategic exit from its aviation portfolio.
The concerned airlines owed over N300billion, and all funds injected into the airlines pre, and post receivership, have not yielded any positive repayment result.
AMCON, therefore, opted for a strategic exit from its aviation portfolio through NG Eagle, creating an unencumbered and brand-new airline that would be easier to dispose profitably.
Sani, who was noticeably angry, said “This AMCON intervention in Arik and the frustration the agency is going through because of its proposal to set up NG Eagle as best option to recover its investment in the airlines is not supposed to be. I think we are about to lose billions of naira because of ego. The ministry is not being realistic with its proposal of a national carrier and because of that, frustrating the efforts of AMCON on NG Eagle.