President Bola Tinubu has approved the removal of all the directors in Nigeria’s aviation ministry amidst an ongoing effort to revamp the sector to ensure a safe and efficient air travel experience for Nigerians.
This was disclosed in a statement issued Thursday by Odutayo Oluseyi, the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Affairs, in Abuja.
“I am directed to inform all directors of the following agencies that they have been relieved of their appointments forthwith and should hand over to the most senior officer in their various directorates with immediate effect,” the statement said.
The directors of the affected agencies include the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Nigeria Meteorological Agency, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, and Nigeria Safety and Investigation Bureau.
The president instructed that all directors of the agencies are to hand over to the most senior personnel in their respective directorates without further delay.
“I am also to inform all the agencies’ Board Secretaries and Legal Advisers that they are not affected by this directive. All affected directors are to ensure strict compliance, please,” the statement noted.
Major shake-up
The new development comes about 24 hours after Mr Tinubu approved the removal of all heads of aviation agencies from their offices.
Their removal was announced in a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity. The statement said the sack is in line with the president’s determination to bring world-class standards to the country’s Civil Aviation sector for the well-being of the citizens and other sectoral stakeholders.
Mr Ngelale said the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Kabir Mohammed, was replaced with Olubunmi Kuku; while the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Tayib Adetunji Odunowo, was replaced with Umar Farouk.
Similarly, the Director-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Akinola Olateru, was replaced by Alex Badeh, while the Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Mansur Bako Matazu, was replaced by Charles Anosike.
“Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Capt. Alkali Mahmud Modibbo has been removed from office and replaced with Mr Joseph Shaka Imalighwe as the Acting Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), pending the appointment of a substantive Rector, in accordance with Section 13(2) of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Act, 2022,” Mr Ngelale said.
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The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Shuaibu Nuhu, was also suspended from office to enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct an unfettered investigation into the activities of the suspended Director-General and other senior officials in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
He is to be replaced by Chris Najomo, who is to assume office as the Acting Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority immediately.
Due to the high cost of underperformance in the sector, the statement said the president demands the immediate establishment of world-class policy design, implementation, and regulatory frameworks to reposition the sector in alignment with his Renewed Hope Agenda.
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