PROSPECTS for a Nigeria-United States direct flight have brightened with the support of top US congressmen and women for the application of Virgin Nigeria to the US Department of Transportation.
Twelve African-American members of the US House of Representatives, who are also members of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, (CBC), signed a two-page letter to the US Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Norman Y. Mineta who incidentally is also a democrat, the only one serving in George W. Bush’s cabinet. Most of the CBC members belong to the US Democratic Party.
“We are writing to strongly recommend that your department give open and serious consideration to the Virgin Nigeria Airways application to initiate direct service to and from the United States,” says a letter signed by all 12 members of the caucus who represent different legislative constituencies in the United States.
The letter noted that “many important US corporations are voicing support for Virgin Nigeria and hope its application will be carefully considered and approved.”
Those who signed the supporting petition include Charles Rangel, Gregory Meeks, Chaka Fattah, Robert Scott, Diane E. Watson, Albert R. Wynn, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Harold Ford Jr., Juanita Millender- Mcdonald, Sheila Jackson Lee, Ed Towns, and Corrine Brown.
The CBC is considered a very strong voice in US legislative matters because of the perception that the caucus speaks as the voice of the critical black minority in the country. But the single African-American member of the US Senate Senator Barack Obama, curiously did not sign the letter. Obama is an American born to a Kenyan immigrant father, based in Chicago.
On matters regarding Africa, the CBC which was formed in 1969 is regarded as the “the conscience of Congress.” And it is believed that African Americans’ concerns over national policies and world events are normally directed through the CBC.
The support of the CBC has now added a powerful touch to the growing support of Nigerians and US companies to Virgin Nigeria’s application sent in last December. But there are also Nigerians and US companies who have objected to the application.
Commenting on the structure of the Virgin Nigeria ownership which has been an issue raised by some US companies who claim that the company is not really Nigeria owned, the US black lawmakers revealed that “Virgin Nigeria is 24.9 per cent owned by Virgin Holdings Ltd and 24.1 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines.”
The letter added that the structure of the airline is “consistent with the aviation and policy interests of the US. It is privately owned and majority-owned by Nigerian investors.”
In an endorsement of the Virgin Nigeria application, the US congressmen and women added, “we the undersigned are concerned about US policy toward Africa and US trade and investment with Africa and further development of the continent. We recognise Virgin Nigeria Airways as a potential facilitator of these broader objectives.”