The minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika has said that operators in the aviation sector including airlines and ground handling companies would get loans at five per cent interest rate beginning from 2021.
The minister stated this yesterday at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.
He said the facility was being worked out by the ministry of finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) adding that details would be made public when the fund is ready for disbursement.
The minister also announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had given an approval stopping all aides of public office holders and other very important personalities from gaining entry into airport terminals.
He said all special assistants or personal assistants of VIP would no more be allowed at airports when such persons are not travelling.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved and this is a very serious matter for us, that hitherto big men, especially military men, ministers, members of the national assembly, governors and the judiciary are culprits.
“They have all these their personal assistants, special assistants, who are not travelling and they insist on taking them inside up to the aircraft.
“This will not be allowed; it will not be permitted and they will be stopped,” he said.
He added that firearms will not be allowed at airports.
Sirika also stated that any passenger who fails to wear a face mask would be denied boarding as commercial activities resume on Wednesday (tomorrow), beginning with Abuja and Lagos airports.
In addition, he said unruly passengers would not be allowed to fly.
“An unruly passenger is not allowed to board our aircraft. Once you are an unruly passenger, the pilot will not move and you will be dropped. So, by not wearing the mask, you will be classified as an unruly passenger,” he said.
On whether there would be physical distancing on flights, Sirika said “it is very safe to be in the aircraft cabin.”
He described the air inside the aircraft as “fresh”, “clean” and “already purified”.
The minister also said the last cabin row in every aircraft would be reserved as isolation centre in case any passenger eventually exhibits COVID-19 signs.
Sirika also food will no longer be served on domestic flights.
He said the ban to suspend in-flight food service was part of efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 on flights.
“For this domestic operation, there will be no food. No food will be given to reduce contamination level and we will allow you to come with your mask.
“Like the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had said the other day, we see it as your private thing. So it is you bring your mask, they don’t have to be the fancy ones,” he remarked.
On how the cabin crew came into existence, he said the cabin crew’s job was not to offer tea to passengers.
“They came into the industry because of people who were getting air-sick; so we thought we would be putting nurses in the airplane to look after those people who are sick. Since then, they metamorphosed and they became something new.
“They want to now give you tea because many people don’t get sick anymore, they will either give you coffee, offer you food and drink and so on.
“So the main purpose of the cabin staff is to ensure that we all remain safe for your welfare and your health,” he added.
