President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Ethiopian Airlines Chairman Girma Wake that “things will be alright” in the end, despite the litigation surrounding the company’s partnership with the federal government over the troubled national carrier – Nigeria Air.
Buhari stated this during their Monday meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Wake stated at the meeting that once the court cases are resolved and the company’s trapped funds are returned, the airline will rejoin the Nigeria Air project.
The national carrier project has been halted due to a series of lawsuits filed by domestic airlines challenging the Federal Government’s lack of transparency in selecting foreign partners for its launch.
Recall that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had spoken out against the move, which they claimed was skewed to put domestic airlines out of business. Some government officials were also accused of tampering with the process and having undisclosed stakes in the project.
However, the Presidency in a statement on Monday morning said “President Buhari has received assurances from the chairman of Ethiopian Airlines that once the court cases are resolved and the company’s trapped funds repatriated, the airline would rejoin the project.”
According to Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Ethiopian Airlines Chairman, Wake, has requested a resolution of the legal impediment preventing Nigeria Air, in which Ethiopian Airlines owns 49%, from starting operations.
He also requested the repatriation of airline funds held in the country due to currency difficulties.
Wake, who met with President Buhari on the sidelines of the 36th AU Summit, stated that the airline has been treated very well in Nigeria since it began operations 60 years ago.
‘‘Nigeria is not just a market but a hub for aviation in Africa. Nigeria is a special country and nobody travels more around the globe than Nigerians,’’ he said.
The aviation chief, who was accompanied on the visit by Mesfin Tasswe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines and Daniel Abebe, Group Vice President Strategic Planning and Alliances, hinted that the airline had plans to expand operations in the country, with additional daily flight services to Lagos from Addis Ababa, as well as Abuja-Addis Ababa.
He said the airline and its partners are ready to commence operations on Nigeria Air as soon as all the court matters are resolved.
A Federal High Court in Lagos had in November 2022 issued an order of interim injunction restraining the Nigerian government from proceeding with the establishment of its proposed national carrier.
The temporary injunction was given in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/2159/2022 and filed by registered trustees of the Airline Operators in Nigeria (AON), Azman Air Services Limited, Air Peace Limited, Max Air Limited, United Nigeria Airline Company Limited, and Top brass Aviation Limited, the plaintiffs. Ethiopian airlines chairman meets Buhari, gives fresh conditions over Nigeria Air