Posted by By Kenneth Ehigiator on
LAGOS - Former Aviation Minister, Mallam Isa Yuguda, has controverted claims by his successor, Prof. Babalola Borishade....
LAGOS - Former Aviation Minister, Mallam Isa Yuguda, has controverted claims by his successor, Prof. Babalola Borishade, that the exclusive right given Virgin Nigeria by the federal government over the nation's prime routes applied only to some routes in the host countries.
The routes in question, which are the choicest of all of Nigeria's Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), include New York, Johannesburg, Dubai, London and Jeddah
Sources close to the former minister quoted him as saying that the routes were used by government as an incentive to attract Virgin Atlantic Airways to the Virgin Nigeria deal.
Virgin Atlantic Airways is the core investor and technical partner of the new Nigerian flag carrier which started operation a little over a year ago.
But Prof. Babalola Borishade, said last weekend that the exclusive right given Virgin Nigeria covered only New York and not other U.S. routes, and Bellview Airlines was designated to fly Newark, New Jersey, while Arik Air was given Atlanta, Georgia route, both in the United States.
Mallam Yuguda it was that signed the Memorandum of Mutual Understanding (MEMU) with the Virgin Atlantic team on September 28, 2004, in Abuja.
He said the MEMU reserved exclusively those routes for the airline that emerged from the deal between the federal government and the UK second carrier to operate for seven years and six months without any let or hindrance.
Yuguda was quoted as saying that a careful perusal of the document would show that the routes were reserved for the new flag carrier, and not to be ceded to any other party until after seven and half years.