The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria has appealed to the Federal Government to place the aviation sector at the forefront of its renewed hope agenda.

The Executive-Director of NCSCN, Blessing Akinlosotu, made the appeal on Monday in Abuja, while briefing journalists on the state of the aviation industry.

Mr Akinlosotu, who said that Nigerians accounted for over 70 per cent of the entire travelling statistics of Africa, said the aviation sector in Nigeria was critical to national development.

“Government and well-meaning Nigerians must save our patriotic and progressive indigenous operator ‘Air Peace’ and other indigenous airlines from international aero-politics and pricing warfare by foreign airlines. Particularly those threatened by the rising profile and business strategies of a Nigerian operator with impressive global records of flight operations between Nigeria and other countries.

“Air Peace must be protected, rewarded and honoured for this patriotic gesture. The council hereby calls on Nigerians to patronise Air Peace in the Lagos-London route. This is irrespective of the deceptive lower pricing of the foreign conspirators, as this will save our naira and further grow our national economy.”

According to him, it has become important to do this because foreign airline operators repatriate their profits and funds to their home countries, while Air Peace reinvests profits in Nigeria to the advantage of the naira.

The executive-director commended President Bola Tinubu for his support to Air peace through the minister of aviation, adding that such an act marked a sharp departure from the past.

“We want to passionately appeal to President Tinubu to grant Air Peace and other indigenous operators a tax waiver of one year tax holiday. Also, an Executive Order should be given to all government officials embarking on international trips to routes within indigenous operators such as Air Peace, to mandatorily fly our Nigerian brands.”

Mr Akinlosotu, who decried hike in airline fares by Air Travel Service Providers and airline operators, said such posed difficulties for travellers from Nigeria to many international destinations.

(NAN)