 |
| Air Peace airlines yesterday rued the loss of several millions of naira as a result of the disruption of its Enugu airport operations. In what the airline calls “sabotage”, the operator was obstructed for hours over alleged indebtedness. |
FAAN Apologises To Airlines
Air Peace airlines yesterday rued the loss of several millions of
naira as a result of the disruption of its Enugu airport operations. In
what the airline calls “sabotage”, the operator was obstructed for hours
over alleged indebtedness.
Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, told reporters that its
operation was shut down by the Airport Manager, Mgbemena Orjiakor, over
N7million debt that the airline says it has paid.
Onyema said, “We do not know if the airport manager is sponsored by
someone to bring down Air Peace because even after Lagos sent evidence
of the payment, rather than own up to the fact that the agency lacked
proper accounting, the agency said the airline is owing an outstanding
N1.8million. This is why I said this act is sabotage.”
Onyema lamented that an airline that owes the government over
N11billion was allowed to operate that morning but Air Peace was
temporary shut down over N7million it already paid.
“When I called the Enugu airport manager to complain to him about the
situation, he answered me rudely by saying I was talking like a
riff-raff. This man is not fit to be in that position. This same airport
manager does not know that he is employed today because of the airline.
How can he call me riff-raff?
“If we are not adequately compensated for our losses, we promise the
government that we will go to court. This is part of the reasons why
airlines in Nigeria do not survive,” the Air Peace boss said.
“Mgbemena Orjiakor, the Enugu Station Manager, will have to explain
to the world who sent him because I believe this is outright sabotage.
That station manager was not remorseful and very insulting,” he added.
In response to the development, FAAN’s Acting General Manager
Corporate Affairs, Henrietta Yakubu, also confirmed that the airline had
paid all its outstanding debt before the airline was shut down.
Yakubu apologised for the inconveniences the situation must have
created for the airline and its passenger and promised that the agency
will see to it that such doesn’t repeat itself.
