THE African Export-Import Bank, (AFRIEXIM Bank) has said that it will continue to strengthen its relationship with Arik Air and support the airline in every area possible.
This is just as the Bank plans to promote intra-African trade stating that the largest airline in West and Central Africa will be its strategic partner.
Speaking when the Board of Directors of the bank paid a working visit to Arik Air office at the weekend, AFRIEXIM Bank President, Dr Benedict Oramah said they are supporting the airline because of the essential role it is playing in connecting people across Africa and making sure goods are delivered across the continent.
“We want to make sure they (Arik) are strengthened to do that. We also understand the difficulties in the environment, not only in Nigeria but in most African countries.
“Ours is a bank created to deal with or support our clients under such situations. We also wanted to be briefed on how these things are affecting the company and what we can do to make sure they ride through the situation,†Oramah explained.
He reiterated that Arik Air is a long-standing client of the African Export Import Bank and have worked together for several years, building a mutually rewarding partnership.
“This visitation is essential for us as a bank to see what the airline is doing and to listen to them about their future plans because we are promoting intra-African trade with Arik Air as a strategic partner,†Oramah added.
In his response, Chairman, Arik Air, Sir Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide thanked the AFRIEXIM Bank delegation for their visit.
He disclosed that the bank has been with the airline since inception, adding that Arik Air also has a strategic partnership with a lot of institutions such as the American Exim Import Bank, EDC and CIV of China.
Arik Air has not paid the salaries to the expat pilots of Arik Air since september 2016. Promises and agreements has been made by the chairman in person at several ocations but all have failed to be held. The expat pilots have been left with no other option than to stop flying. The last promise was (by the chairman himself) that the october salaries should be paid no later than february 8th 2017. Today it is february 9th and no salaries have been paid! The result of the broken promise is that the pilots have decided to cease flying from today. If the media wish to talk with the pilots they are to be found in the Arik Air pilot compound in the Ikeja GRA.