Nigeria Air: Sirika has questions to answer, Reps invite ex-Aviation minister

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The House of Representatives indicated that the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has questions to answer over the national carrier project, “Nigeria Air.”

Consequently, the lawmakers have summoned the former minister, directing its Committee on Aviation to invite Sirika to brief them on the state of the project as of the time he left office.

Specifically, the ex-minister will answer queries on a variety of issues regarding the national heritage.

This position came after Tarkighir Dickson’s motion was acknowledged at plenary yesterday in Abuja.

Dickson, who sponsored the motion, stated that Sirika presented an aviation road plan in 2016, with the national carrier as the marquee project.

He also recalled that the former minister promised to deliver the project before conclusion of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

He stated that the former minister approached Ethiopian Airlines a few days before the transfer to provide an aircraft that Nigerians could use as a Nigeria Air plane.

The legislator also revealed that Nigeria Air was awarded an air transport licence by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

“The last administration spent billions of naira ostensibly to acquire the said new national carrier but the status of the project remains unclear, regardless of billions of taxpayers’ funds utilised on the project.

“If the negative trend is not investigated, it may lead to issues with accountability and continue to be a recurring expenditure item in the federal budget,” Dickson said.

The House, subsequently, adopted the motion and directed the committee to also invite the NCAA to brief it on the Nigeria Air project and its certification.

Indeed, the House of Representatives in June reported that the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led government deceived Nigerians by unveiling a Boeing 737-800 aircraft belonging to Ethiopian Airlines as a “Nigeria Air” plane.

The lawmakers faulted the Buhari government over the purported launch of Nigeria Air some days before the end of the administration, declaring it a fraud.

In August, some Nigerians on X, formerly known as Twitter, also asked President Bola Tinubu’s government to probe Sirika for allegedly misappropriating billions of naira budgeted for the ‘Nigeria Air’ project.