Flight suspension: Save aviation sector from collapse, reps minority caucus tells Buhari

The minority caucus in the house of representatives has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent measures to avert the shutdown of flight operations.

On Friday, Nigerian airlines, under the aegis of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), announced plans to suspend flight operations from Monday over the high cost of aviation fuel.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Ndudi Elumelu, leader of the minority caucus, said the shutdown of flight operations will “have grave consequences on our national life”.

“This worrisome development in Nigeria, a major producer of oil, is another very sad commentary on the unpardonable failure, corruption, incompetence, negative policies and lack of capacity of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration to effectively manage our national economy,” the statement reads.

“As representatives of the people, the Minority Caucus is concerned because aviation is pivotal to the operation, sustenance and survival of other key sectors of the economy and any shutdown of flight operations will have a devastating spiral effect and worsen the excruciating economic hardship and further escalate insecurity in the country.

“This is because apart from the direct disabling of thousands of aviation-related jobs and ancillary businesses, a shutdown of the sector will also have a grave negative impact on critical government and public sector activities which are sustained by air travelling.

“It is instructive to note that the aviation sector is no longer an exclusive reserve of the elite, but plays a central role in the movement of personnel and equipment that drive and sustain services and operations which benefit the masses in healthcare, manufacturing, education, food production, telecommunication, retailing, banking and finance, hospitality, entertainment, power, security and other key sectors.

“A shutdown of the aviation sector will therefore cripple millions of businesses as well as economic and commercial activities thereby increasing unemployment, worsen the economic hardship, put pressure on our already ailing roads and exacerbate insecurity in our country.

“Moreover, the situation is a huge threat to our national integrity as it erodes the confidence of the International Community and foreign investors in our country thereby encouraging the movement of investments to neighbouring countries.

“The Minority Caucus, therefore, calls on President Buhari to wake up, note the grave import of the situation and save the aviation sector from imminent collapse by immediately addressing the fuel crisis and other challenges in the industry.”