The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made the FG’s stance known after this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the State House, Abuja.
Sirika said “Government is going to continue. The Senate is advisory. It’s an executive function, we are not bound by any court of law and the government cannot be stopped from giving development to its people.
“So, few individuals will not deny 250 million Nigerians the joy of having something that they will go outside Nigeria to see.”
His remarks came barely 24 hours after a motion by the upper legislative Chamber directed the FG to halt the demolition works to allow the Senate Committee on Aviation, chaired by Senator Biodun Olujimi, to intervene.
The PUNCH reports that the Senate on Tuesday directed directed the Minister of Aviation to stop the planned demolition of aviation agencies’ offices in Lagos pending the outcome of intervention being made by its Committee on Aviation.
The Senate’s resolution followed a motion by the Chairman of the Aviation Committee, Senator Biodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South), on the urgent need for Senate intervention on the intending warning strike by aviation unions.
In the motion, Olujimi reminded the red chamber of the looming warning strike by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, National Association of Aircrafts Pilots and Engineers etc.
But reacting to a question on the matter, Sirika argued that the Senate’s resolution is only advisory and cannot stop the planned demolition.
“The intent of government is to remove the structure housing the office of the Managing Director of FAAN and those commercial buildings. It’s a structure that is made of wood, and has been there for 40 years. It has caught fire twice even during our administration.
