….. applauds Keyamo, Najomo diligent, tireless efforts
The Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Micheal Achimugu says, attempts to deceive the Nigerian people will be resisted.
This is just as he alleged that, a media campaign is allegedly being orchestrated to discredit the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Mr. Festus Keyamo and the Acting Director General Civil Aviation Capt. Chris Najomo in an attempt to regain control over lucrative contracts.
This is coming on the heels of a recent comment described as mischievous by commentators that both the Minister and DG, CAA were responsible for the allegedly poor ratings the country achieved at the recently concluded International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conducted Universal Security Audit Programme-Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA) in the country’s aviation industry.
Addressing criticisms that the Minister and DG are responsible for allegedly poor ratings, Achimugu clarified that both officials took office only months before the audit and immediately began addressing the existing infrastructure issues and inadequate worker remuneration.
Speaking further, the Director explained that “We have actual Intel about a media team being commissioned to cause continuous chaos until Keyamo is either removed or moved elsewhere because certain people want to take back ownership of the contracts they were busy allocating themselves and family members while critical infrastructure was growing dilapidated.”
“We will resist any attempts to mislead the Nigerian people,” he asserted.
He reaffirmed the diligent and tireless efforts of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, and the ADGCA, Capt. Chris Najomo, in achieving Nigeria’s recent success in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Universal Security Audit Programme-Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA).
According to him, the exemplary leadership and resource mobilization by Mr. Keyamo and Captain Najomo were pivotal in securing the ICAO’s 71.04% rating. Without their intervention, Achimugu noted, Nigeria’s score would have been around 30%.
“Six months ago, we inherited a dilapidated industry with severe infrastructure and safety issues. These problems predate the current administration. The tireless efforts of the Honourable Minister and the DGCA have dramatically improved the situation, which would not have even scored 30% without their intervention,” Achimugu stated.
He continued, “Given the condition of the industry when Keyamo and Najomo assumed their roles, achieving the current score is commendable. It is disheartening to see attempts to undermine their achievements by suggesting they are responsible for past failures. Such narratives are part of a broader strategy to remove them from office by those who previously mismanaged the sector.”
Achimugu emphasized that the ICAO auditors praised Nigeria’s performance, recounting an instance where necessary infrastructure was swiftly provided, impressing the auditors.
“If the ICAO experts are satisfied, who are these so-called experts to deceive the public?” he asked.
“Keyamo has been instrumental in addressing systemic issues within the aviation sector, but the challenges are deep-rooted and cannot be resolved in six months. Despite this, efforts are ongoing, and progress is evident,” Achimugu added.
He also pointed out the irony in criticisms blaming the Minister for both intervening and not intervening in security issues, urging critics to be consistent in their arguments.
“Keyamo did not become one of the starboys of this administration by doing nothing. He spent his first six months unbundling the rot in the system. Sadly, the rot runs so deep that six months are not enough to scratch the surface”.
“The Minister and the NCAA are committed to sanitizing the aviation sector, and our work speaks for itself,” Achimugu concluded.
