Ibrahim Kana, permanent secretary of the ministry of aviation and aerospace development, has clarified his inaugural statement about the revival of the Nigeria Air project.
On Tuesday, media reports claimed that the newly appointed permanent secretary said he received a directive from President Bola Tinubu to restart the national air carrier project.
But in a statement on Wednesday, Kana, who assumed office earlier in the week, said he “received no such instruction”.
“Since my inaugural statement on Monday at the hand-over ceremony, I have been inundated with inquiries about my reference to the revival of the National Carrier Project,” he said.
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“For the avoidance of doubt I never said that there is a mandate to revive the botched Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian airline.
“I received no such instruction. I was only referring to the general vision of the Administration to still consider a National Carrier Project if it is favourable to the country and under the guidance and directives of Mr. President and the Honourable Minister of Aviation.
“I hope this clarifies all the ambiguities surrounding my earlier statement on this issue.”
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Kana reiterated his commitment to supporting Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, in advancing the sector.
“I pledge absolute loyalty to the Honourable Minister and remain dedicated to working closely with him to drive the Ministry’s agenda forward,” he said.
The permanent secretary further assured that the administration’s approach to the aviation sector would prioritise innovation.
He said the future of aviation in Nigeria is “bright, innovative, and reflective of the aspirations of our great nation”.
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In August 2023, Keyamo announced that the national carrier project was suspended until further notice.
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