Founder and Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Professor Obiora Okonkwo on Wednesday said multiple charges by government agencies in the country’s aviation sector remains domestic operators’ nightmare and called on the federal government to urgently address the challenge.

He however said the forex policy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been of tremendous advantage to the airline industry and provided some relief adding also that the domestication of the Cape Town Convention helped reduce cost operations in the industry.

Speaking at an event to mark the 4th anniversary of the airline on Wednesday in Abuja, Professor Obiora said “I think that the foreign policy of the Tinubu administration has been of tremendous advantage to the airline industry. Before he came into power, it was a nightmare for us to be able to convert naira to foreign currencies to pay our obligations. We lost a whole lot of contracts. We lost a lot of vendors. Because you have your money stuck in naira in the bank, and you don’t get the forex that you need. You can’t even go and help yourself somewhere. So, it’s a different story. You don’t need to track funds like l mentioned for the foreign operators, the government has cleared that, almost a billion US dollars.

Reiterating the call for the government to create a window for airlines to access funds at a reduced rate and the need to reduce multiple charges. The Anambra state born businessman explained that “one thing that will help the growth of this industry will be for the government to develop the program that will give the window access to local operators to a single-digit loan.

Also speaking, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Airline, Mazi Osita Okonkwo, said the airline had opened more routes across the country, stating that it has added Benin, Kano and Sokoto on its route.

According to him, UNA recently renewed its certificate while plans are at an advanced stage for commencement of its regional and international operations.

The ED said its engineers achieved a feat never witnessed in the industry by changing its aircraft landing and nose gears with any foreign assistance stating that its fleet expansion drive has yielded acquisition of some new planes while the airline plans to operate to 25 destinations by 2026.





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