Nigerian airline operators are to be given licenses that would enable them import aviation fuel as a way of easing operational difficulties associated with their service to the nation.
This was announced Monday by the Group Managing Director/CEO, Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNOC, Limited, Mr. Mele Kolo after a stakeholders meeting with House of Representatives members in Abuja.
Earlier, the vice Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, Bar. Allen Onyema raised the alarm that airline operations in the country, would be shutdown in three days, unless something concrete is down immediately.
The meeting was between oil marketers and Airline operators at the National Assembly.
Onyema who is also the Chairman/CEO of Air Peace Airline, said the perennial fuel scarcity in Nigeria portends danger for the country’s aviation sector.
He said that the deepening fuel crisis could cripple the operations of airline companies in Nigeria, leading to a complete shut down of aviation activities in the country and concomitant truncation of travellers’ itinerary, a development he said members of the association do not want at all.
To resolve the problem, Allen, on behalf of the airline operators requested that they be granted operational licenses that will enable them to import fuel.
‘We have only three more days, all airlines in Nigeria will shut down. We are not threatening this country, it is a fact”, Onyema said.
”I have the mandate of all airlines to demand that Airlines begin importation of fuel, if we can buy planes of millions of dollars, we can also import fuel ourselves. Let NNPC give Airlines licenses, we want to import ourselves, Onyema insisted.
After the stakeholders meeting, the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company NNPC Ltd, Mr Mele Kyari, announced that the stakeholders have agreed that in the interim, price of for aviation fuel (Jet A1) should be N500 which would run for three days, pending the determination of a substantive price which would be arrived at after the three days.
He added that, the airline operators would be given licences to import aviation fuel as requested by the chairman of Air Peace.
Responding, Allen Onyeama said, although it was not what they expected, they have agreed to experiment with the price for three days while negotiations between stakeholders lasts.
He however said that, they would have loved to have the price as low as N200 per litre, but they will keep to the agreement on the tentative price.
Onyeama said the cost of airline tickets would still be on the high side until everything is resolved.
The deputy speaker, Ahmed Wase pleaded with the stakeholders to resolve the issue and reduce the sufferings of aviation passengers in the country.