Op Ed: Recent Appointments made by Aviation Minister better than before

By Bitrus Ogba

When the people of the south west allege that they were marginalized by the appointment of the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah I get amused. And when I hear that the appointment she made was dominated by people from the south east I get bewildered.

If you check it you will discover that Oduah’s appointments were the most balanced in the industry since 1999 because it gave full representation to every part of the country. But I know why the south west is surprisingly crying marginalization. In the past they used to dominate every appointment made in the industry. And even now, if you get the list of all the workers in all the aviation parastatals, you will find out that they have the highest number of appointments.

They are alleging ethnic cleansing because other parts of the country have been given opportunity.

What I have come to know about Nigeria is that when you enjoy an unjustifiable advantage, you would want it to continue and when there is any effort to address the injustice, those benefitting will start shouting because they see it as a right to cheat others.

For example, I was privileged to access some documents in the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria when Richard Aisuebeogun was the Managing Director of the Authority. These documents revealed that the former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani Kayode employed about 30 persons in FAAN. 16 of them were made assistant general managers, deputy general managers and general managers, while the rest were absorbed in other ranks.

These people did not have any aviation experience before they were employed. In fact, most of them came from local government councils and others were just thugs. These 30 people came from Osun and Ogun states. When many of them were examined medically prior to their employment, they failed medical tests; yet they were still absorbed. Many of them are still there till now.

That is the way he deployed about the same number of people to the other aviation agencies. Now, I cannot recall any group from other parts of Nigeria crying ethnic cleansing. I cannot recall the unions raising hell about it. I also know that there were efforts to reduce staff in FAAN at that time because of over bloated manpower, as the Authority lacked technical personnel but had very high number of administrative personnel because unprofessional people were dumped in the Authority.

I remember that all the efforts made to reduce that number failed because some powerful people were contacted to kill that move. And so the agency lives with that burden till today. The question is why were no outcry about marginalization and ethnic cleansing then?

To me, it was because the people that over the years have seen it as a right to dominate other people made the appointments. They did not even consider federal character; they did not even consider getting few people from other parts of the country; yet there was no deafening outcry. Today, Princess Oduah employed Nigerians into the parastastals, taking cognizance of the federal character and some people are crying wolf.

I need to be contradicted, but I am sure that most of those who are crying ethnic cleansing and marginalization have not seen the actual number of people employment and where they came from. Somebody just threw allegation into the air and it automatically transmuted into a fact; nobody cares to verify because the objective is to run some people down.

Some people, especially some journalists who are campaigning against the appointment had argued that two wrongs does not make a right; that because somebody did  it in the past does not mean that somebody should do it again. I wish this argument and logic started at least six years ago. That is why I said I am amused when I read this in the papers.

I think the earlier we realized that every Nigerian has a stake in this country and has equal opportunity in this country the better we hoped to sustain the future of our dear nation. Those who think they will continue to lord it over others should think again and realize that Nigeria was not created for them alone; it was created for all Nigerians.

Campaign of calumny can never submerge the truth; it can only heat up the political system and facts always stand out at the end of the day. And it is even surprising that the people of south west are the ones crying ethnic cleansing and marginalization. I remember some years back when they were mocking a region well known for the word, marginalization and accusing them of whipping up self-pity sentiments. Isn’t it surprising that the words ethnic cleansing and marginalization are not, after all, a monopoly of some other ethnic groups.

(Bitrus Ogba was the Former Manager Administration of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria)

Director General of NCAA removed from office

Aviation Minister

Dr Harold Demuren has been removed from office as the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The approval is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja and signed by Mr Sam Nwaobasi, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

The removal is with immediate effect, as approval was made by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Dr Harold Demuren was brought into office in 2005 after two fatal air disasters in a 7 weeks span leaving the nation mourning. The two incidents were Bellview Airlines flight 210 that killed all 117 people on board on October 22, and Sosoliso Airlines flight 1145 that killed 105 of 108 passengers, including 61 students from Loyola Jesuit College on December 10, 2005.

Demuren worked to ensure the subsequent loss of confidence in the aviation sector. The statement said the removal followed “a careful consideration of Demuren’s unsatisfactory response to the numerous concerns of stakeholders in the aviation sector”.

The statement ended with President Jonathan wishing the late DG well in his future endeavours. 

Benin Airport completed in record time - Aviation Minister

Aviation Nigeria

Work has been completed and the Benin Airport has been commissioned by the Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah in the ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction of aviation facilities in nationwide.

The Minister in-line with the aviation transformation agenda, earmarked 22 airports which are to face necessary reconstruction, some dating back as much as 30 years. In the last quarter of 2012, 11 airports were part of the first tranche of reconstructed facilities. The Hajj terminal in Kano State and some airports were also re-designated as perishable goods and cargo airports.

The Minister Aviation Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah who arrived aboard an Overland Airlines aircraft in company of senior Federal Ministry of Aviation officials and the CEO of Overland Airlines was received by the MD of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN George Uriesi, before proceeding to the commissioning ceremony.

The Minister while in Benin had initially paid a courtesy visit to the governor of Edo State Comrade Adams Oshiomole.

According to Oduah the Benin Airport Terminal was completed in record time as the rehabilitation took 10 months, “the runway will be ready in six weeks, we had minor issues with the contractor but that has been resolved, it will be ready in by the first week of April”

On why the reconstruction of the airport was strategic, the Minister said Edo State presented a readily economically viable route and the airport will connect Edo to other states.

Responding the Edo State governor, Comrade Oshiomole thanked the Minister for including Benin in the list of airports to be renovated, he further stated that “Nigeria is growing and we need to make more investments to meet the requirements of modern aviation.

Gov. Oshiomole also stated that the state government had embarked on re-constructing the road leading to the airport so as to complement the federal government. This he said was premised on the fact that he believed public assets required maintenance from time to time and airports presented the first impression to tourists. He also used the occasion to commend President Jonathan for the support he is extending to the Ministry of Aviation

With the remodeling Overland Airlines will now commence six flights a week from Lagos to Benin, Abuja to Benin and Benin to Port-Hacourt.

The Federal Ministry of Aviation has continued to receive commendation from aviation professionals and air travelers alike, some of which include the Good Governance Tour earlier commending the aviation minister on the work at the Benin airport, and also the granting of the 'Man of the Year' award to the aviation minister by Champions Newspaper.

FAAN Expands Access Gate

Aviation Nigeria

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has commenced the expansion of the access gate at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

This was made as a release by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) through its General Manager Corporate Communications, Yakubu Dati

The expansion and modernization of the access gate, which is part of the ongoing transformation of the 22 airports nationwide is expected to reduce the traffic jam always experienced at the gate at peak hours and invariably reduce the travelling time for air travellers hurrying to catch their flight at the both local and international terminals.

The new toll gate, which will be fitted with automated toll points, will also enhance security because of the placement of close circuit television to monitor the safety and security of the entry and exit points.

The gate which presently has three lanes on each side will be expanded to five-lane on each side making a total of ten lanes, thereby increasing capacity for more vehicles plying the road.

It is expected that on completion, the new access gate will not only ease the traffic jam at the gate but also enhance transparency in the collection of charges thereby increasing the internally generated revenue of FAAN

The Authority apologizes for whatever inconvenience the ongoing construction may be causing our road users.

Rain storm responsible for power disruption at MMA - FAAN

Aviation Nigeria

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Yakubu Dati has said a storm was responsible for the Monday 4 March power surges at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.

This was made by a press release on Tuesday 5 March issued by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and signed by the General Manager Corporate Communications Yakubu Dati.

Power supply had interrupted airlines from landing as scheduled yesterday as some airlines had their landing diverted or rescheduled.

Eye witness report says the heavy rain storm disrupted power supply to the Murtala Muhammed Airport for about six minutes, an incident FAAN engineers say was caused by a power surge from the two main power sources at the airport.

According to the press release, the storm which was very severe affected both the Ejigbo and Egbin power stations which served the airport.

The statement read: 

"The airport is connected to two main power sources from Ejigbo and Egbin power stations. The storm initially knocked off the power supply from Ejigbo which led to a three-minute outage at the airport before our engineers switched over to the alternate power supply source from Egbin. That supply line was later affected by the storm, leading to another three minute power outage.

Our engineers then switched over to the airport’s standby generators, some panels of which were unfortunately soaked with water, due to the heavy flooding that resulted from the heavy rainfall. This resulted in a blackout at the “E” wing of the airport, including the avio bridges. It was for this reason that arriving passengers on an international flight were processed through an alternative route at the terminal and in the process, were exposed momentarily to the rain."

There were no accidents or injuries sustained as a result of the power surge, and airport operations commenced 30minutes later.

The statement added that a power improvement project had commenced at the MMIA and was currently at the test-run stage with expectation that this would be completed before commissioning.

FAAN, through its press release has sent its apologizes to all airport users, passengers and airline operators, for the power outage and indicated its regrets on any inconvenience caused by the incident.

Calabar Airport designated for Agro-Perishable cargo terminal

Aviation Nigeria

The Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, in Cross River State has been designated as one of the nation’s Agro-Perishable cargo airport in the country in line with the Aviation Ministers Cargo Perishable Initiative.

The Director Cargo Development, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Roland Ofule, disclosed this to the Acting governor of the state during a courtesy call at the governor’s office in Calabar.

Mr Ofule remarked that over the years, local farmers face the challenge of access to markets, reasoning that the initiative will allay their fears and encourage them to be more productive thereby boosting the economy of the state and nation at large and stressed on the need for farmers to be properly educated on this initiative.

The Acting governor of Cross River, Mr. Efiok Cobham appreciative of the choice of Calabar Airport for driving the Federal Governments transformation agenda.

He contended that, this would enable aircraft with bigger tonnage ply the airport without hitch as well as enable the airport function optimally to meet up its new status as a cargo airport.

At some farms, to find out farmers view about the initiative, it came to them as a surprise, after much explanations, it was glaring that they can’t wait to have all their farm produce especially the perishable ones being sold right there in their farms after cultivation.