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By Chinelo Obogo
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has described the demolition of the Lagos office of the National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) by his predecessor, Hadi Sirika as saddening.
Speaking on Friday at the unveiling of the new NSIB office in Lagos, he said the building was demolished for no reason and lauded the Director General of the Bureau, Alex Badeh (jnr) for his effort in ensuring the setting up of a new regional office.
“Our task here is very simple and it is to commission the office. When I came to office, I was quite sad that a whole complex which was functional that the NSIB had in Lagos was demolished for no reason. I was very sad about that incident. But I want to say thanks to the Director General of the NSIB for making this happen,” he said.
While giving his welcome address, Badeh said the demolition of the NSIB’s previous office under the past administration left them without a physical presence in Lagos, thereby hindering their bility to serve the transportation sector effectively. He said during the hiatus, his team were left without the means to carry out their vital work, resulting in a struggle for productivity and a gap in service delivery.
“This occasion is especially momentous after a challenging three-year period during which our operational capacity in Lagos was severely impacted. The unfortunate demolition of our previous office under the past administration left us without a physical presence in this critical location, hindering our ability to serve the transportation sector effectively.
“During this hiatus, our dedicated team members were left without the means to carry out their vital work, resulting in a struggle for productivity and a gap in our service delivery. When I was appointed Director General of the NSIB in December 2023, I was met with many unfinished tasks at the Bureau. Employee morale was low, and there were requests and competing demands. As a non-revenue-generating agency, we have grappled with limited government funding and bureaucratic inefficiencies.
“Despite these challenges, I, together with the team at NSIB, approached our task with determination and a can-do attitude. I must express my deepest gratitude to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo whose unwavering commitment and tireless efforts have led us here today. When I approached and presented this project to him, he promptly facilitated the necessary funding from the ministry’s operating budget, making the vision of this new office a reality. His leadership and vision has been instrumental in enhancing our capabilities and ensuring the safety and security of our skies.
“In conclusion, the re-opening of this Lagos office symbolizes our resilience and steadfast commitment to transportation safety. It is a stepping stone towards a more secure and efficient transportation network for all Nigerians. I call upon stakeholders, our government and private sector partners, and indeed all Nigerians, to join us in this noble pursuit.Let us move forward with renewed hope and determination to transform transportation safety from an aspiration into a tangible reality. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of safety and investigation, contributing to a safer, more prosperous Nigeria,” he said.
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