Aviation Fuel Scarcity a Global Problem, FG Reacts to Airline Operators' Threat to Embark on Strike
- The minister of aviation has said that the federal government is doing all it takes to address the persistent Jet A1 fuel scarcity
- Hadi Sirika described the challenge of the high cost of aviation fuel as a global problem which is not peculiar to Nigeria
- According to the minister, the Ukraine crisis and other factors contributed to the problem currently faced in the aviation industry
Nigeria's minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said that the continued scarcity of aviation fuel (Jet A1) is not just a Nigerian problem.
Reacting to a threat of industrial action by Airline Operators of Nigeria, the minister said that the current scarcity of aviation is a worldwide challenge.
Daily Trust reports that Sirika while speaking with journalists on Tuesday, May 17, explained the major reasons for the high cost of Jet A1 fuel.
Source: Facebook
Accompanied by a delegation led by the secretary-general of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Juan Carlos Salazar, to the State House, the minister assured that the federal government is doing its best to address the high cost of the product.
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His words:
“The scarcity and high cost of Jet A1 in civil aviation are not peculiar to Nigeria. It is a global phenomenon driven by many factors.
"Some of them include even low capacity to refine the product. It’s also high demand around the world, it has increased activity and increased the number of airplanes out there and users of this jet A1."
Effect of Ukraine crisis on petroleum products across the world
Adding that the Ukraine crisis and other factors contributed to the problem currently faced in the industry, Sirika said that even crude itself is expensive in today's global market.
He added:
"It is in the hundreds of dollars per barrel and only the high cost of Jet A1 product in Nigeria. Also the peculiarity of the fact that we’re not refining the product, so to speak.
“And I did address the press a couple of days ago, saying that, by the grace of God, perhaps once the Dangote refinery is online or if the government fixes the Port Harcourt refinery, which is now ongoing, we will begin to refine this product and sell it."
Aviation fuel scarcity: Tension across Nigeria as airline operators take 1 important action
The Airline Operators of Nigeria had announced that they would be embarking on strike action on Monday, May 16.
The notice of the industrial action was made available to the public in a statement shared by the spokesperson for the operators' association Professor Obiora.
Obiora noted that the action by the operators is due to the scarcity of aviation fuel which would lead to disruption and cancellation of already scheduled flights across the country.
You have failed Nigerians, minority Reps fumes, tasks Buhari on planned strike by airline operators
President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress-led administration had been accused of failing Nigerians.
The allegation against the government and its representatives was made by the minority caucus of the House of Representatives.
The caucus led by the lawmaker representing the Aniocha North/Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South constituency in Delta state called on the president to take measures that would avert the impending strike action by airline operators in Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
