The Federal Government has announced it may seize and sell the assets of Dana Air to refund passengers and travel agents who have funds trapped with the suspended airline.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, issued the directive on Tuesday, stating he has instructed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to “go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed.”
This drastic move comes in the wake of the ongoing suspension of the airline’s operations, which Keyamo defended as “a choice between safety and disaster.” He revealed that the decision was based on “damning reports” about the airline’s safety record and operational standards that posed a risk to the public.
โFor Dana, the problem is that it was a choice between safety and disaster. So, we didnโt take the commercial thing as priority. The priority was safety,โ the minister stated during the ministryโs fourth quarter stakeholdersโ engagement in Abuja.
Highlighting the path forward for affected customers, Keyamo outlined a two-pronged approach. โI have asked [NCAA Director General] Capt. Najomo to dig deep to find out how those passengers and agents will be refunded,โ he said.
He then detailed the recovery plan: โWe should look at their assets. There are assets that are still available. Let them sell their assets. Letโs cannibalise their revenue and pay people. Letโs find a way to go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed. NCAA should do that because they canโt get away with it.โ
Furthermore, Keyamo declared that any individuals or entities associated with Dana Air would be barred from re-entering the aviation sector until the debts are settled. โIf that same individual or those entities are trying to come back to aviation under any guiseโฆ they have to go and settle their debts first,โ he asserted.
The minister’s announcement signals a firm government stance on holding airlines accountable for both safety protocols and financial obligations to the public.
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