The Federal Government has been called upon to release much advertised palliatives to the aviation industry in the country to save struggling domestic airlines
Weeks after announcing a N4billion stimulus package for airlines, the operators are yet to get the money; a situation that has led to a call for the release of the money to assist carriers get out of the woods.
The much talked about stimulus many believe despite being small it is would still help to solve some of the airlines’ problems.
The President, Rotary Club of Falomo, Rotarian Peter Nwaochie, who spoke to journalists at the Lagos airport at the weekend shortly after presenting sets of wheelchairs to the organisation, said every domestic airlines in the country was struggling to make ends meet hence the astronomical rise in air fares.
Nwaochie, who was an aide to Mrs Kema Chikwe, a former Minister of Aviation during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, said the current pandemic ravaging the entire world has greatly affected the aviation industry bringing it to a sorry state in Nigeria
He regretted that presently nothing has been done in form of palliatives to rescue struggling domestic airlines adding that funds promised airlines and aviation sector should be made available to them as a cushion in effect.
“We are living at unusual time and the aviation industry is very strategic, it’s a catalyst for development in any modem economy, but in Nigeria today aviation is in a sorry state. Airline operators are talking of palliatives, support, nothing is being done,” he said.