FAAN Disrupts Air Peace Flights over N7m

June 10, 2017
air peace airline

FAAN Disrupts Air Peace Flights over N7m

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Flight operations of Air Peace in Enugu were on Friday disrupted by the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) following disagreement over a debt of N7 million allegedly owed by the airline.

As a result of interruption of its flights by FAAN, the management of Air Peace has threatened to sue the Federal Government if adequate compensation was not paid to the airline.

Premium Times quoted Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, as saying that, “I got a call this that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) stopped our operations in Enugu over N7 million debt, which we have already paid.

“The airport manager (Mgbemena Orjiakor) did not go back to check his books to know if we actually paid or not but hurriedly stopped our operations, a situation that is costing us millions of Naira.

“We do not know if the airport manager is sponsored by someone to bring down Air Peace because even after Lagos sent evidence of the payment, rather than own up to the fact that the agency lacked proper accounting system, the agency said the airline is owing an outstanding N1.8 million. This is why I said this act is sabotage.”

Mr Onyeama alleged that another airline, which owes over N11 billion to the government, was allowed to operate that morning, but Air Peace was temporarily shut down over N7 million it already paid.

“When I called the Enugu Airport manager to complain to him about the situation, he answered me rudely, saying I was talking like a riffraff,” he said.

“This same airport manager does not know that he is employed today because of the airline. How can he call me riffraff?

“If we are not adequately compensated for our losses, we promise the government that we will go to court. This is part of the reasons why airlines in Nigeria do not survive,” he said.

Commenting further, Mr Onyema added: “I had to call Saleh Dunoma, the managing director of FAAN who was not aware of the situation. He politely told me that he will handle it and he was very sorry about the situation.

“The director of commercials also got across to me and also told me he was looking into the situation and they will get back to me.

“The director of human resources also got across to me and pleaded with me. Orjiakor…will have to explain to the world who sent him because I believe this is outright sabotage. That station manager was not remorseful.”

According to Premium Times, when contacted, spokesperson of FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, said Air Peace had paid N2 million out of its outstanding N7 million debt prior to the disruption of its operations.

Modupe Gbadeyanka

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

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