The Airline says it is suffering because it bruised the ego of the aviation minister when it refused to accede to ‘personal interest’ requests.
Stella Oduah
Premium Times September 20,2012 Corrupt demands allegedly made by the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, led to the disruption of flights by Nigeria’s largest domestic carrier, Arik Air. Arik Air, suspended indefinitely all its domestic operations after aviation union workers from the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) disrupted its flights out of Lagos on Thursday. Union members gathered at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport as early as 7a.m. and prevented the airline from operating its normal flights over allegedly unpaid debts. The union members claimed that the airline owes aviation agencies a combined debt of about N17bn, a claim the airline denies. Despite the public knowledge of Arik’s debt, the grounding of the airline’s operations by the union members, sources say, is a reflection of the intention of Ms. Oduah.
The 5 per cent demand:
Ms. Oduah, sources told PREMIUM TIMES made a demand from Arik’s owners, a demand too much for the management to let go of. The Vice-Chairman of Arik Air, Aniete Okon, hinted at the minister’s ‘greedy’ demand while addressing journalists in Lagos, Thursday afternoon when he said the airline is being punished for its refusal to accede to the personal interest of Ms. Oduah. “This is a direct result to the rebuff that the minister suffered when she tried to promote personal rather than national interest,” Mr. Okon said. Mr. Okon, fearing a direct confrontation with the minister, a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan, declined to give details of Ms. Oduah’s demands. Multiple and usually reliable sources however told PREMIUM TIMES that the “personal interest” Ms. Oduah demanded, was a part ownership of Arik. “The Minister wants 5per cent share of Arik at all cost, which has been resisted by the Arik Chairman,” a close source to the two parties said. The source also alleged that Dana Air, whose operating license was returned after suspension following its airline crash of July, agreed to the minister’s demand before it was permitted to operate again.
The Aviation Minister has however denied having personal interest in Arik. Ms. Oduah speaking through her media assistant, Joe Obi said the allegations by Arik is a diversionary tactic. “Arik should be advised to live up to its responsibility as a corporate citizen and stop chasing shadows,” Mr. Obi said. He said the minister never demanded a part ownership of Arik. “Why will the minister want to have a stake in a business that is not thriving. The minister has never and will never show an interest in an ailing firm,” Mr. Obi said. The minister also denied having any secret deal with Dana before the lifting of its suspension. Mr. Obi, while explaining the Ministry’s decision to lift Dana’s suspension even when the airline was yet to pay adequate compensation to all the families of the crash victims, said Ms. Oduah did the right thing. “Where is it done that if an aircraft in a fleet has an accident, the entire aircraft is grounded?” he said, explaining that the ministry and its agencies were carrying out adequate certification of Dana’s fleet.
Richard Branson, the chairman of Virgin Atlantic, reportedly swore never to do business in Nigeria again because Nigerian politicians are "very insane" and "dream killers". The British billionaire has not looked back since he moved Virgin airline out of the country. Yesterday, another airline that filled the void left by Virgin in the nation's airspace, Arik Air, felt Branson's pains when it grounded all its domestic flights, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other airports across the country.
Posted: at 21-09-2012 07:06 PM (11 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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