Policy analyst and professor of strategy and development, Anthony Kila, has urged the new federal government to institute an independent public inquiry charged to examine and make public the conception, process negotiations, partnerships, expenses, and parties involved in the Nigeria Air project.
Kila, who is also a Commonwealth Institute director and author of many policy papers on aviation made the call during a panel discussion on Sunday anchored by Dr. Rueben Abati in company with Mr Chike Ogea, a former Managing Director of the Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) and David Aworawo a Professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies.
In a follow-up statement to NewsmakersNG, the renowned scholar noted that the “Nigeria Air project has generated too much controversy and has become a source of public concern rather than the laudable achievement it was planned to be due to the way it has been handled so far with stakeholders alleging a series of malpractices and calling attention to an unrespected court pronouncement”.
The best institutional response to give in this circumstance according to Kila “is for the government to create an independent and authoritative public inquiry that will allow all those who have issues and questions about the Nigeria Air project to table their concerns, give those involved in the project to respond without fear or intimidation and for all interested Nigerians to know what really happened and what to expect from the project”.
Prof Kila also urged operators and other stakeholders in the aviation and related sectors to find ways of organizing themselves into a visible force that would ask the new government to shed light on the Nigeria Air project. Such action according to Kila would be a national duty for experts and stakeholders as well as a test for the new government as a request for an independent and authoritative public inquiry into a sensitive and important project like this one would give many hopeful and neutral observers an informed insight into how the new administration would treat experts and stakeholders in aviation and other sectors.
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