'Virgin-Nigeria 'll Be Fully Nigerian Airline'
By Ndubuisi Francis
General Manager of Virgin Atlantic Airways in Nigeria, Mr. Peter Barry has assured that the proposed national flag carrier, Virgin-Nigeria to which his airlinehas been appointed the strategic investor/technical partner will be fully owned Nigerian company that would be pre-occuipied with providing world class service.
He spoke weekend amid feelers that officials of Virgin Atlantic Airways are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government Tuesday in furtherance of the proposed airline project.
Barry who spoke in Lagos at a colourful award ceremony for the airline's travel agents said discussions were continuing with the Nigerian government on the project, assuring that when operational, the proposed airline would provide the nation with a world class service.
"It will be a fully Nigerian company to bring world class airline to Nigeria. Nigeria deserves a world class airline for its world class people", Barry said.
Meanwhile, there are feelers that the Federal Government and officials of Virgin Atlantic Airways are billed to sign an MoU in Abuja on Tuesday.
Although it is not clear whether the Chairman of the airline, Richard Branson will be part of the officials of the airline from the United Kingdom who will arrive for the signing of the MoU, THISDAY gathered that Barry and the Nigerian representative of Virgin Atlantic Airways, Chief John Adebanjo will form part of the team that would meet with the Federal Government officials on Tuesday.
Criticisms have continued to trail the appoitment of Virgin Atlantic Airways after the Federal Government had dropped South African Airways (SAA) earlier named strategic investor/technical partner to the proposed national flag carrier then christened Nigerian Eagle Airlines.
Criticisms centre on what criteria the Federal Government adopted in choosing Virgin Atlantic, why the airline was given as much as 49 per cent equity and why the name Virgin-Nigeria was adopted.
The process of raising the 51 per cent equity said to be reserved for Nigerian institutional investors has also been heavily flawed just as the disclosure by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that Virgin-Nigeria which is reportedly yet to be registerd had already applied for an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) even before the Federal Government named it as proposed national flag carrier.
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