UNA Chairman Calls For Aviation Fuel Suppliers’ Audit

In the light of recent incident of fuel contamination that led to the suspension of B737s fleet of Max Air, the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines (UNA), Dr. Obiora Okonkwo has urged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to conduct an audit of all aviation fuel suppliers in the country.
“I would expect that NCAA should do a more acceptable audit on the fuel suppliers. We have been calling for this audit before now.”
“All those supplying fuel to airlines should be properly audited,” he added in an interview with aviation journalists over the weekend.
He commended NCAA’s decision to take such action, stating that it can only take a vigilant regulator to identify such situation and take action appropriately. He equally said Max Air had nothing to worry about since what happened could have happened to any airline. “It is expected of Max Air to give the answers to questions of NCAA.”
On the federal government’ s intentions to provide cash palliatives to ameliorate effects of fuel subsidy removal, Obiora advised government that rather than give away cash handouts that may not solve the prevailing economic problems, government should invest in the aviation sector and strengthen the economy.
He said injecting capital in form of palliatives into the aviation industry if given to those who may be qualified will create employment, increase revenue generation for airlines, bring about forex exchange and add to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Delivering his opening remarks at an all markets conference organized by Ndigboamaka Progressive Markets Association, Obiora said “there is more to gain from a United Nigeria, which incidentally is the name of the airline I established a few years ago. We must keep working to unite Nigerians with their visions, their aspirations, their neighbours and other societies for the good of our great country. Nigeria must be united; but Nigeria also must be a just and inclusive society.”