The Federal Government stated that it will no longer enter into any Bilateral Air Services Agreement with any country, unless it is mutually beneficial to both parties.
Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, dropped this hint against the backdrop of previous bilateral air agreements that the country entered into, but did not reap the desired benefits. He added that the success story of Ethiopian Airlines, remains an inspiration to Nigeria as it strives to re-establish its national carrier.
He noted that such success stories have proved sceptics wrong about the possibility of a public venture being effectively, efficiently and profitably managed.
On the request for the reduction of the Value Added Tax paid by the Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria, Senator Sirika said only the Federal Ministry of Finance, through the Federal Inland Revenue Service, had the mandate to handle such issues.
The Ambassador, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Nigeria, Samia Zekaria Gutu, who was accompanied by the Traffic and Sales Manager of the Airlines, Mrs. Firiehiwot Mekonnen to the minister’s office expressed gratitude for the cordial relationship that exists between the two countries over time, and especially the latitude its national airline has been enjoying in its operation in Nigeria.
