Federal Executive Council, FEC, has given approval to the National Carrier, Nigeria Air to start operations with three aircraft.
Briefing State House correspondents on the approval, the Minister of Aviation, Alhaji Hadi Sirika, explained that the Nigeria Air would start operations domestically, and later extend its operations beyond the national airspace.
He said the commencement of the operations of Nigeria Air would be announced in due course.
Alhaji Hadi Sirika noted that the government would welcome only credible investors in the operations of Nigeria Air.
FEC has also given approval to the Accident Investigation Bureau to spend over 700 million Naira to deploy tools to record flight activities to determine accurately causes of accidents to prevent recurrences.
Also, Federal Government has approved a ban on the exportation of raw ore in a new policy called The Nigerian Mining Value-chain Regulation, approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
The Minister of Mines and Steel, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, who stated this while briefing newsmen in Abuja, said raw ores would now be processed in Nigeria before export.
He explained that processing plants were being built in the 6 geo-political zones of the country to reap the full benefits of its mineral resources, rake in alternative revenues, and save foreign exchange.
Mr. Adegbite said all the plants under construction would be commissioned next month.
BELLO WAKILI
