The Chairman Senate committee on aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi says the N5bn proposed bailout for the aviation industry is inadequate for airlines that are battling to survive.

Sen. Adeyemi noted this after the  Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika announced the Federal government’s bail out funds to airlines to cushion the effect of COVID-19.

The Minister made the announcement when he appeared at the Senate for a public hearing in respect of the repeal and the reenactment of the laws establishing the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

The minister said, “Federal Government has approved the sum of N5billion as a bailout for airline operators and other business owners in the aviation sector to cushion the effects of COVID-19 on the country’s aviation industry.

The Minister added that the sum of N4billion has been approved as a bailout for airline operators and an additional N1billion for other business owners in the aviation sector.

Sirika however noted that the government’s decision to offer the bailout is based on recognition of the pivotal role of the aviation sector to the Nigerian economy.