By: Nghiinomenwa-vali Hangala
A feasibility study to assess the commercial viability of reviving the national airline under Namibia Air has been completed, shared Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi in Parliament.
The country’s first airline was liquidated due to a pile of debts from aircraft owners to airport operators and others.
The Minister was responding to a fellow Member of Parliament, Nelson Kalangula, who requested updates on the feasibility study; if it was completed, the cost, and how different it is from Air Namibia’s reports.
Nekundi confirmed the completion of the report while indicating that due to the complex and competitive nature of the aviation sector, he could not reveal all publicly yet.
“I can confirm that the feasibility study is done and is now under review,” he said.
Nekundi indicated that the study was carried out by the inter-ministerial team of experts during the current financial year.
The Ministry allocated N$20 million to the study, and according to Nekundi’s update, only around 4% of it has been used.
He added that despite concerns of past Air Namibia reports, the government, through his Ministry, is going ahead with the review of the feasibility study.
Nekundi has also updated Parliament as requested on the composition of the established committee involved in the establishment of the new airline.
He said the committee exists and is composed of experts with varying degrees of expertise, including three (3) in aviation with a total of over 50 years of aviation experience.
The committee also has lawyers, transport economics and governance experts, added Nekundi.
He noted that they are experts from the Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Attorney-General, Namibia Airports Company, Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), members from the aviation industry, and the NIPDB.
“We are making progress, and the nation will be informed at the most appropriate time,” assured Nekundi.
He also noted that Namibian leaders, just as other countries around the world, must know what to publish and when to publish.
Speaking to the complexity of the aviation industry, Nekundi said “we must understand and appreciate the strategic scope and framework required to enter such a complex and competitive industry.”
