By Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said that all directors in the the aviation agencies have been relieved of their duties with immediate effect. The agencies affected are the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Metrological Agency (NiMET), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigeria Safety and Investigation Bureau (NSIB). All the agencies’ Board Secretaries and Legal Advisers that they are not affected by this directive.
In a statement, Keyamo said: “Following the change in the leadership of the Aviation and Aerospace Development Agencies’ CEOs and MDs aimed to reposition the Aviation industry and ensure safety and efficient air travel experience by Nigerians in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr. President, I am directed to inform all directors of the 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. All affected directors are to ensure strict compliance.”
This is coming on the heels of the removal of all the agency heads which was announced by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday. He approved the removal of the Managing Director (MD) of FAAN, Kabir Mohammed and replaced him with Olubunmi Kuku, while the MD of NAMA, Mr. Tayib Odunowo was replaced with Umar Farouk. The Director-General of the NSIB, Akinola Olateru was replaced with Alex Badeh Jr. while the Director-General of NIMET, Mansur Matazu, was replaced with Charles Anosike.
The Rector of NCAT, Alkali Modibbo, was replaced with Joseph Imalighwe as the Acting Rector, pending the appointment of a substantive Rector, in accordance with Section 13(2) of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Act, 2022, while the Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu was suspended from office to enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct an unfettered investigation into his activities and other senior officials of the regulatory agency. Capt. Chris Najomo assumes office as the Acting Director-General immediately.