—as FG unveils national carrier next year
Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed yesterday said that President Muhammadu Buhari would re-present to the Senate his request
for foreign loan plan of about $30 billion.
The Senate had on Tuesday rejected the request for external borrowing plan of $29.96 billion to finance infrastructural projects across the country between 2016 and 2018.
But Mohammed during the briefing of State House Correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council meeting, explained that the government would continue to engage lawmakers on need for the loan.
According to him, the Senators would change their position and approve the request when the government make more details available.
“It is not unusual for the government and the Senate to have some disagreements, they want more information. We will continue to engage them. We will give them all the information they need”, he said.
Also yesterday, Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika disclosed that government would in the next one week appoint transition adviser to facilitate the establishment of a new national carrier within the next 12 months.
According to him, the establishment of the national carrier would help meet the needs of Nigerians both on domestic and international routes.
He said this would also encourage competition, provision of good aircraft and eventually affect fares.
“The most important incentive is that between now and Wednesday, we will appoint transaction adviser for national carrier, once that is in place Nigerians will have options, they will be competition, good aircraft and this will bring the price down.”
He also said the new national carrier would be managed by the private sector with government owning only five percent stake.