This was contained in the airline’s defence against the suit filed by the Airline Operators of Nigeria at the Federal High Court in Lagos as the second defendant in the case.
The 37-page document with suit number FHC/L/CS/2159/2022 was sworn to by the Country Manager of Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria, Mr Wondwossen Beyene.
The airline filed the defence on December 19, 2022, less than a month before the commencement of the initial suit instituted by the AON.
In the case, scheduled to come up at the Federal High Court in Lagos on January 16, 2023, Ethiopian Airlines declared that it bid for the purchase of shares in the national carrier, just like other Nigerian shareholders.
The document read in part, “I believe as a fact that the averments contained in paragraph 11B of the affidavit in support of the plaintiff’s originating summons are a distortion of the truth. The second defendant did request tax incentives/concessions for the proposed fledging Nigerian airline, amongst other incentives, which is a normal international practice in international investment negotiations, and not against the law.
“In any case, those requests were proposals and proposed during negotiations with the government and which the Federal Government was at liberty to accept or refuse. The plaintiffs have not shown any proof that the second defendant obtained any tax incentives/concessions for the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Ethiopian Airline’s position: The company also disagreed with the AON that its involvement in the national carrier project would take away jobs for qualified Nigerians. Rather, the airline insisted that its investment in the project would boost the Nigerian economy, ensures growth in the sector, and create employment and succour for Nigerian travelers.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the AON and five others in the aviation industry in their suit against the defendants, Nigeria Air Limited, Ethiopian Airlines, Senator Hadi Sirika (Minister of Aviation, Federal Ministry of Aviation) and the Attorney-General of the Federation stated that Ethiopian Airlines in its Commercial and Strategic Plan with the Federal Government on the new national carrier, requested 15 years tax moratorium from the Nigerian Government.
