Senate warns of imminent plane crashes

– The Senate says the fear of plane crashes in Nigeria is real due to foreign exchange crisis
– Senator Akpabio blames problems faced by the airlines on monetary policies of government which have not allowed the airlines to operate
– Senator Ike Ekweremadu describes the withdrawal of airlines from Nigeria’s aviation industry as a bad omen which may lead to massive job losses
The Senate warns that the current foreign exchange crisis in the country might result in plane crashes.
Nigeria is in danger of experiencing imminent plane crashes in the country if the aviation industry was not fixed immediately, the Senate has warned.
The warning in the upper chamber followed a motion tagged “Disturbing Development in the Nigerian Aviation Industry” by Senator Dino Melaye on Thursday, October 20, NAN reports.
Supporting the motion, the minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said the fear of plane crashes was real as airlines could no longer access foreign exchange to service their aircrafts.
He said the inability of some operators access foreign exchange, may led to them cutting corners thereby endangering the lives of air travellers.
Akpabio blamed problems faced by the airlines on policies of government, adding that monetary policies of government have not allowed the airlines to operate.
“Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended says that government must ensure the security and welfare of the people.
“We are likely to have a spectre of crashes because most airlines cannot access foreign exchange to service their aircrafts,” he noted.
On his part, the deputy president of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, said that withdrawal of airlines from Nigeria’s aviation industry was a bad omen which may lead to massive job losses.
“A situation whereby airlines cannot send back their money to their home countries is a disaster. Competition becomes less and the few left will charge as they want.
“It is embarrassing that airlines have to go and refuel in Ghana,” he said.
The upper legislative chamber also urged the government to ensure that all operators who would benefit from the intervention would not increase fares arbitrarily.
After the debate, the Senate said it will intervene and save travelers by assisting the federal government in its planned intervention in the current challenges in aviation sector.
The upper legislative chamber also urged the government to ensure that all operators who would benefit from the intervention would not increase fares arbitrarily.
Meanwhile, Senate president Bukola Saraki has said that the alleged $13.9 billion money laundering by Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN) is enough to pull Nigeria out of recession, Vanguard reports.
Saraki disclosed this while opening the legislative hearing on the alleged repatriation of the funds by MTN, the nation’s giant telecoms provider, in connivance with some Nigerian banks and individuals.
The investigative hearing is being conducted by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions.