By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The socio-political umbrella of the Northern States, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has welcomed the stand taken, by the Federal Government, on the airlines in the country, selling tickets in foreign currency.
The Chairman of the forum, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made the statement on the pronouncement of the Aviation Minister, Honourable Hadi Sirika that any airline found wanting shall be sanctioned.
Chairman Audu Ogbeh appreciated the stern move on deterring any local or foreign airline that transacts its business, in Nigeria, with foreign currency.
This, according to the ACF chairman, negates the value of the Naira, and will, undoubtedly, throws Nigeria and its economy in a precarious situation.
Chief Audu Ogbeh, cited that no airline will venture to perpetrate such ugly thing in most countries, across the globe and warned that any airline transacting a business, in Nigeria, in foreign currency is an enemy of the nation.
He, therefore, called on the aviation ministry to, as a matter of urgency, spread its tentacles in arresting such menace.
“No airline wishing any country good should involve itself in sabotaging its economy through dwarfing the value of its currency,” he said.
The former agriculture minister noted that even in smaller African nations such callous economic investment was never allowed.
Chief Audu Ogbeh called on the CBN, Finance Ministry and indeed the President to take stern measures in ensuring that whoever arrives our country must convert his/her currency into Naira for whatever business transaction.
“Failure amounts to economic sabotage,” he declared.
