LAGOS – The Federal Government has nominated Capt. Chris Najomo as the substantive Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA).
A source close to the National Assembly, confided in our correspondent on Friday that Najomo’s name was sent to the Senate for screening and subsequent confirmation on Friday.
It was learnt that Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development pushed for the nomination of Najomo as the substantive Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), having worked with him directly for over a year.
Najomo was nominated the acting Director-General Civil Aviation (ADGCA) on December 13, 2023 when he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu when Capt. Musa Nuhu, the substantive DG was suspended from office.
When contacted for comments, Mr. Michael Achimugu, the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, declined to confirm the nomination of Najomo.
Rather, he directed our correspondent who enquired about Najomo’s nomination to the presidency or the National Assembly.
He said: “This is not my purview. I cannot answer the question. Perhaps, the presidency or National Assembly may confirm.”
Just last December, some staff of the NCAA, joined forces to call for the confirmation of Najomo as the substantive Director-General.
The staff under the aegis of Joint Action Congress (JAC), the umbrella body of four unions in the agency in its communique issued at the end of its extra-ordinary leadership meeting, held recently, said that the confirmation of Najomo would bring stability and growth to the agency in particular and the industry in general.
The unions under JAC are Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN); National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE); Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).
The communique, was signed by Comrades Jakada Anthony, Chairman NUATE; ‘Remi Aderinkomi, Chairman ATSSSAN; Ben Godwin, Chairman ANAP and Diepreye Saburugha, Chairman NAAPE at NCAA.
The workers insisted that they had implicit confidence in the leadership of the regulatory body for aviation, as currently led by Najomo who had been in acting capacity since December 13, 2023 when he was appointed alongside five other agencies’ Chief Executives.
JAC further reminded the government that aviation was a precision industry with no margin of error worldwide, stressing that the regulatory and oversight demanded firm and professional leadership, which could not be subjected to political whims and caprices.
According to the body, since Najomo’s appointment, a new culture of dignity and value for the workforce had birthed under him, stressing that this totally fits into President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The body also commended several principal aviation stakeholders in Nigeria and overseas who have deemed it fit to openly acknowledge the good work being done by Najomo to reposition civil aviation in Nigeria since he assumed office in acting capacity almost a year ago.
The communique added: “JAC affirmed that these critical aviation stakeholders having witnessed firsthand the positive impact of the current responsible and pragmatic leadership brought to bear on the industry by the regulatory body (NCAA), are right to call on the Federal government to confirm the appointment of Capt. Chris Najomo as a substantive DGCA.
“JAC affirmed that the evaluation and assessment of the performance of Capt. Chris Najomo so far, in line with President Tinubu’s quality policy coordination and delivery for all heads of agencies of government, can best be achieved by relying on feedback from the aviation industry stakeholder’s majority of whom have express plaudits for the current leadership at NCAA.”
Besides, it was gathered that Nuhu, the suspended DGCA was yet to be paid his entitlement.
Nuhu had about two months ago, tendered his terminal leave letter to Keyamo.
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