Some experts in the aviation sector have commended the Central Bank of Nigeria for releasing $265 million to airlines operating in the country to settle outstanding ticket sales.
The experts gave the commendation on Sunday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
According to them, some foreign airlines, including Emirates Airlines that announced a planned suspension of flights to Nigeria from September 1, will possibly review their decision.
Group Capt. John Ojikutu, a former Commandant of the Murtala Muhammad Airport, Lagos, who praised CBN for the remittance, also urged the institution to keep making things easy for any company repatriating its funds from Nigeria.
“Obligations in international commercial aviation are done or returned in dollars. These airlines pay our public and private services providers in dollars, why would they not take back home in dollars their sales in naira?
“It is also a volte-face by those in government administration who cannot account for the dollars earned in commercial aviation from these airlines,” he said.
Also speaking with NAN, Capt. Wale Otubanjo, an official of Accident Investigation Bureau, who commended CBN for recent payment to foreign airlines, described the effort as a wise step.
Otubanjo explained that the CBN action would end the current crisis rocking the aviation sector.
“Effective and efficient proper disbursement of foreign exchange to appropriate investors in Nigeria ought to be put in place.
“Airplane spares are not sold in Naira, so we expect Central Bank of Nigeria to make it a priority to disburse the foreign exchange to operators, to enhance safety of travelling public.” (NAN)
