The former minister is expected to shed light on a variety of issues concerning the project.
The House of Representatives has summoned the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to appear before the federal lawmakers over the National carrier project, “Nigeria Air.”
The legislators gave the directive to the House Committee on Aviation to call Sirika to
brief it on the status of the project as of the time he left office.
The former minister is expected to shed light on a variety of issues concerning the project.
This came after Tarkighir Dickson's proposal was approved in plenary on Thursday.
While introducing the motion before the House, Tarkighir stated that the former minister offered an aviation road plan in 2016, with the national carrier as the marquee project, and that he promised to deliver the project before the conclusion of former President Muhammadu Buhari's government.
He further 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 aircraft. He also revealed that Nigeria Air was awarded an air transport licence by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
Dickson was quoted by PUNCH to speak further: “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.”
The House adopted the motion and directed the committee to also invite the NCAA to brief it on the Nigeria Air project and its certification.
Recall that the House of Representatives in June confirmed SaharaReporters’ story that the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led government deceived Nigerians by unveiling a Boeing 737-800 aircraft belonging to Ethiopian Airlines as a “Nigerian Air” plane.
The lawmakers faulted the Buhari-led 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 former aviation minister Hadi Sirika for allegedly misappropriating billions of naira budgeted for the ‘Nigeria Air’ project.