'SLOK Airline Controversy Gives Nigeria Bad Image'
By Roland Ogbonnaya
A Nigerian adviser to United States President, on Science and Technology, Honou-rable Kenneth Nwabueze, has said the controversy surrounding the withdrawal of Slok Airline licence is destroying Nigeria's business image abroad.
In an e-interview with THISDAY, Nwabueze expressed the need for the Senate to arbitrate on the issue immediately, adding that for a nation that desperately needs to promote viable business environment, Nigeria can not afford the negative publicity surrounding how it is handling Slok Air.
"This is a major blow to the so called effort to clean up Nigeria's image and promote foreign investment. What is happening to Slok is an embarrassment to this administration. The process has not been transparent so far. We don't know the truth. Why hasn't the Senate call a public hearing?" He asked rhetorically.
Nwabueze, who over the years has leveraged business opportunities between Nigerians and Americans, added that Senate should have a public inquiry on the issue. "It is the job of the Senate to intervene in matters such as this. This is an issue of national security. Slok represents a major employer in Nigeria. More than 2,000 people would be put out of work if this is not resolved immediately.
"The Senate should invite Captain Bell-Gem, the Managing Director of Slok, the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Alhaji Issa Yuguda and independent experts in aviation to explain to the nation why the airline is still grounded," the computer expert explained.
He recalled that when United Airlines, American Airlines, General Motors and Chrysler Motors were in trouble, US government bailed them out because their case bothered on national security as the major employers.
Nwabueze noted that "this is the case with most governments around the world. Why should Nigeria be different in this regard? I would advise President Olusegun Obasanjo, in the interest of promoting his agenda, to assist Slok in resuming operations immediately.
"It would send a clear message to foreign investors that he is serious about protecting investor's right in Nigeria. Let's keep politics out of business. The President has the pecuniary responsibility of ensuring that the economy is growing at a healthy rate. How can this administration allow the few jobs that we have managed to create go to waste over some political bickering?" He queried.
Nwabueze, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Sagematric Inc, a US-based computer firm, said the continuous grounding of Slok Airline "is a disgrace to those of us in the trenches promoting Nigeria as a viable investment opportunity. How do you explain this one? This may be worst than 419 when it comes to damage control. With 419, you can always point out that it is just a few bad apples mixed with the good ones. In this case, the whole nation is it. The Presidency, the Senate, and the political power players are all guilty on this one. We can sugar-coat it or call it whatever we want, the fact of the matter is that an outsider would see it as political witch hunting," he stressed.
He explained that the punishment for violating safe landing rules is not revoking the airlines licences, maintaining that now one has to be a near lunatic to invest in a country where millions of dollars in investment can be impounded without reasonable explanation as to why.
He wondered if the Obasanjo administration is thinking about the long-term implications of its neutral stand "on the issue."
"We keep shooting ourselves on the foot. I know exactly what is holding back US private sectors from investing in Nigeria. I am playing a significant role in bridging that gap and increasing co-operation between the two countries. I am working with a number of businesses on both sides to help facilitate partnerships," Nwabueze pointed out.
He however noted that Nigeria presents a tremendous business opportunity for the US private sectors and has highly talented and hardworking individuals.
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