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Reply To: | AAM (African Association of Madison) |
Date: | Thu, 23 Dec 1999 01:53:47 GMT |
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LAGOS, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The United States ended a six- year ban on direct
air links with Nigeria on Wednesday after reporting security improvements at
Lagos airport.
Although the official reason for the ban in 1993 was insecurity at Lagos
airport, it was widely taken as a snub to Nigeria's then military rulers.
The lifting of the ban is a morale boost to President Olusegun Obasanjo's
government but ends a lucrative opportunity for airlines carrying passengers
who until now have had to make a stopover in Europe.
U.S. Transport Secretary Rodney Slater said Murtala Mohammed Airport in
Lagos had been found to meet Federal Aviation Administration standards.
``This achievement was made possible by President Olusegun Obasanjo's
extraordinary commitment to aviation security and the dedication and hard
work of those under him,'' Slater said.
Appeals to end the ban failed until Obasanjo took office in May to end 15
years of corrupt and debilitating army domination that made Africa's most
populous nation a pariah.
Since then, the United States has done as much as it can to buttress
Obasanjo and the shaky foundations of the new democracy amid political
intrigues and seething ethnic crisis.
``Of course it is good that the ban has been lifted. It is another mark of
the changing attitudes towards Nigeria now that we have a respected
government,'' said one presidency official in Abuja.
Slater said signs at U.S. airports advising that direct flights to and from
Nigeria were not permitted would now be removed.
The ban opens the way for the return of scheduled flights from New York to
Lagos -- black Africa's biggest city.
Since the ban was imposed, European airlines have taken over the lucrative
market of Nigerians travelling to the United States, but the break on the
way makes life more difficult for passengers.
Millions of Nigerians -- including Obasanjo himself -- have family members
working or studying in the United States and several members of Obasanjo's
government have homes there.
U.S. oil firms Exxon-Mobil, Chevron Corp. and Texaco Inc. all have big
oil-producing operations in the West African country of at least 108 million
people.
Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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