A socio-political organisation, under the aegis of Igbo Centre for Education and Cultural Advancement, has commended the federal government over the resolution of the air transport impasse with the United Arab Emirates through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
The organisation, while address journalists, weekend in Abuja, said the government should be commended for defending individual business to promote the national economy.
The Secretary-General of IGBOCECA, Abel Onyemaechi, who addressed the media said, stakeholders of the Igbo nation should support the Buhari administration for the decisive intervention it took over the Air Peace diplomatic face-off with the UAE.
“In the last couple of weeks, we have witnessed the diplomatic brick-bat between the Nigerian government and the United Arab Emirates over landing slots for Air Peace, an airline owned by a businessman from the South-East.
“Air Peace had sought three landing spaces for the Airport in Sharjah, UAE, but was denied the request and offered one slot. In response to the UAE government’s refusal, the Nigerian government withdrew the earlier winter schedule granted to Emirates Airline through the NCAA.
“Expectedly, the UAE government, through the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, in protest of the Nigerian government directive, cancelled its flights’ operation to Nigeria and also stopped other airlines from airlifting Nigerians to Dubai.
“The UAE government had thought that the Nigerian government would have buckled under pressure and rescinded their decision,” he stated.
Speaking further the Secretary of the group said, “More importantly, as an Igbo man, we now see a government willing to go to any extent to protect a fellow Igbo man. Unlike in the past when our businessmen and women are made to feel like orphans, the events of the past few weeks have shown that we have a government that cares and is willing to stand by its people.”
