Aviation Agencies: 50 Directors Sacked, EFCC Grills NCAA Chiefs
The Federal Government has sacked all the directors of aviation agencies in the Ministry of Aviation Aerospace Development, barely 24 hours after President Bola TInubu fired the heads of five aviation agencies and suspended the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Nuhu Musa.
Tinubu had on Wednesday sacked Mr. Kabir Mohammed of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria; Mr. Tayib Odunowo of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency; Akinola Olateru of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau; Prof. Mansur Matazu of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency; and Alkali Modibbo, of the Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology.
He also appointed Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku as the substantive Managing Director of FAAN; Umar Farouk as the substantive Managing Director of NAMA; son of former Chief of Air Staff, Mr. Alex Badeh Jr. as the substantive Director-General of the NSIB.
Tinubu also named Prof. Charles Anosike as the substantive Director-General of NiMET, Mr. Joseph Imalighwe as the Acting Rector of NCAT, as Mr Chris Najomo assumes office as the Acting Director-General of the NCAA immediately.
However, on Thursday a statement by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development announced the sack of all the directors in the six aviation agencies.
At least 50 directors had been affected by the development.
In the statement signed by the Head of Press and Public Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, Odutayo Oluseyi, the government directed the affected directors to hand over to the most senior officers in their various directorates immediately.
The statement partly read, “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 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 directors of the affected agencies, includes the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Nigeria Metrological Agency, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, and Nigeria Safety and Investigation Bureau have been instructed to hand over their duties to the most senior personnel in their respective directorates without further delay.
The statement clarified that the agencies’ Board Secretaries and Legal Advisers remain unaffected by this directive.
“All affected directors have been urged to adhere strictly to the instructions provided” Oluseyi said.
