(By Fred Itua – ABUJA)
The Senate yesterday warned of imminent plane crashes across the country if urgent steps were not taken by the relevant government agencies to fix the ailing aviation industry.
The warning of the Senate followed a motion tagged “Disturbing Development in the Nigerian Aviation Industry” sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye.
Senate Minority Leader Senator Godswill Akpabio, who raised the alarm of imminent crashes, while making his contributions, said airlines operating in the country can no longer access foreign currency used in servicing their aircrafts.
The Senator warned that some operators might start cutting corners as a result of their inability to access needed foreign currency, thereby potentially endangering the lives of air travelers.
He added that many of the airlines in the country are bankrupt and inoperative, noting that others have either withdrawn or relocated to neighbouring countries.
“These problems are caused by policies of government. Monetary policies of government have not allowed the airlines to operate.
“Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended says that government must ensure the security and welfare of the people. We are likely to have a spectre of crashes because most airlines cannot access foreign exchange to service their aircrafts,” Akpabio noted.
Deputy President of the Senate Senator Ike Ekweremadu for his part said the withdrawal of airlines from the country’s aviation industry is a bad omen which will in turn lead to massive job losses.
“A situation whereby airlines cannot send back their money to their home countries is a disaster. Competition becomes less and the few left will charge as they want. It is embarrassing that airlines have to go and refuel in Ghana.”
The Senate after a brief debate expressed willingness to support the federal government’s move to intervene in the current challenges with a view to saving the travelers from greater hardship and to reduce the downturn in the aviation sector.
The Red Chamber also urged the government to ensure that it extracts from airlines who are going to be benefiting from the government special reviews, commitments not to increase fares arbitrarily and to guarantee competitive ticket pricing within the regional market.
It also urged that the federal government prevail and insist on airlines to use the Naira as the official currency in all transactions in the aviation industry.