Lai Mohammed explains why "Nigeria Air" was Suspended

Lai Mohammed

Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has explained why the federal government suspended the Nigeria Air project.

According to Vanguard, Mohammed, who was speaking to newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, said funded issues led to the decision.

He said:

A government will take a holistic view of any intended project and if the understanding of government at the beginning that the project will either be self-financing or would be financed by her investors and it turns out that such a project can no longer be financed by investors, either because they are not forthcoming or that such venture can no longer be viable, the government, this administration would do a rethink.

Now, the business of government in business is to provide enabling environment and it is not to become the sole source of finance, the sole source of funding and in addition, it is much more than funding in trying to get our national carrier.

We also need to look at the thinker aspect, overall. The Federal Government believes that this thing should be stepped down now till we get a better funding structure but a situation where this kind of thing would be funded by government, it can’t do it.

Mohammed said other aviation industry projects – airport concession, MRO, aircraft leasing company will be considered for execution.

“I think what we should do is to look at each of these other projects in their own merits and individually and look at whether they can still be executed, but I don’t think the government should be condemned or criticised if it decides to step down a particular project,” he said.