The Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlhombe, is calling for the elimination of the crime syndicate that is trying to capture Mozambique Airlines (LAM) at all costs. Only in this way, he said, will it be possible to eliminate the problems plaguing the national flag carrier.

"All the delay we've had so far is the result of conflicts of interest, of groups trying to hijack the company, and the government will never let them," he said.

According to the Minister, the company's shareholders are working with a credible company that is doing a thorough job.

"All the pressure we have, both internally within the company and, more or less externally, from partners, is aimed at maintaining the company's current operating status. Everyone has a solution and everyone's solution converges. All solutions are valid, because people don't know what the restructuring plan is. So let's let the shareholders work on implementing the guidelines that the government has given," he said.

Matlhombe said that it was planned to implement the proposed solutions at LAM within 100 days of taking office, but this was not possible due to the complexity of the matter, as well as to avoid the mistake of catering to interest groups.

"Unfortunately, we had hoped to carry out this mission within 100 days, but given its complexity, the government had to take the decision to cancel the entire process that was being carried out because it realized that there was a lot of conflict of interest. So, in order to defend the interests of society, of the population, because this is the people's money, the government will always intervene. We preferred to delay a little longer, but to do a more responsible job, rather than working under pressure to serve interest groups," he explained.

But he also said that in order to resolve the difficulties at LAM, the government is taking responsible measures and "not giving the company a blank check".

"The government is making a responsible investment. It's not buying aircraft as part of a problem that LAM may be facing. LAM is following a very thorough and complex restructuring plan, including restructuring the workforce, which currently has too high a worker-to-aircraft ratio. LAM has more than 800 workers. LAM has high liabilities, very large debts," he noted.