President Goodluck Jonathan may be on collision course with the
Senate over delayed confirmation of Director-General, DG-nominee for
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu.
In the aftermath of the sacking of immediate past DG of the regulatory agency, Dr. Harold Demuren, on March 12, the President sent Akinkuotu’s name to the Senate two days later, asking the upper chamber of the National Assembly to expedite action on his confirmation because of the sensitive nature of the aviation sector.
Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the President was not happy that over two months after he sent the nominee’s name to the Senate, he was yet to be confirmed.
The President’s letter to the Senate read in part: “Following concerns expressed by aviation stakeholders on perceived poor Internal Audit and Quality Assurance within NCAA, the Federal Government is in the process of restructuring the authority for better and more efficient service delivery.
“Consequently, Dr. Harold Olusegun Demuren has been relieved of his appointment as the Director General of the NCAA in line with provisions of Section 8 (3) (a) and (c) of the Civil Aviation Act of 2006.
“In line with Section (8) (1) of the Civil Aviation Act of 2006, I hereby present the nomination of Captain Fola Akinkuotu, from the same geo-political zone as Demuren as Director General of NCAA for the confirmation of the Senate.
“His Curriculum Vitae is attached. It is my hope that the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will consider and confirm the nominee in your usual expeditious manner.”
Why Jonathan’s calm
According to a source, the President is calm about the development because he didn’t want to be seen fighting the Senate on another front, having been locked in a battle with the lawmakers over his refusal to sack Arunma Oteh, Security and Exchange Commission’s DG.
It was learnt that the President’s plea for expeditious confirmation of the nominee was informed by the need to assuage the feelings of people of the South-West geo-political zone, who saw Demuren’s sack as a continuation of marginalisation in the aviation sector.
A source also told Vanguard that the delay in confirming the nominee as substantive head of NCAA was a deliberate plan by the Senate Committee on Aviation to prolong the stay of acting Director-General of the agency, Joyce Nkemakolam, in office.
The source said: “The industry today is dominated by people from one geo-political zone of the country. The minister, chairpersons of the two aviation committees in the Senate and House of Representatives, to Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, are all from the same zone.
“Therefore, there is this feeling that these key figures in government are deliberately delaying this confirmation to protect the interest of their zone.
“I would want to leave the minister out of this game plan because she really tried to ensure that Demuren was not sacked. But unfortunately, it is this same Senate that put pressures on the President to sack him that is dilly-dallying now in confirming a new director-general for the agency.”
Criteria, politics
Another source also raised questions about the eligibility of who should occupy the seat, as the acting DG is an air traffic controller.
The NCAA Act stipulates that only a pilot or an aircraft or aeronautic engineer could occupy the office of NCAA’s DG.
Already, stakeholders in the industry are getting restive about the implication this would have on safety in the sector, as they contend that the aviation sector was too technical and sensitive to be drawn into politics.
Aviation expert and certified instructor of US Federal Aviation Administration, Capt. Tito Omaghomi, wondered why the Senate should hold on to the nominee’s confirmation a month after his questioning by the Senate Committee on Aviation.
Aviation groups react
Omaghomi told Vanguard on the telephone, yesterday: “We were all in the Senate when he was drilled for three hours 15 minutes by the committee and he answered all the questions asked him confidently.
“He is absolutely qualified to occupy this position, so why are they delaying his confirmation?
“If they say he is not qualified for the job, let them tell us. The young man was doing his thing at Kwara State Aviation Academy as rector when the President appointed him.”
Omaghomi, who is also President of aviation advocacy group, Concerned Aviation Professionals, CAP, said the industry was currently in a delicate position not to have a qualified head.
Another pressure group in the industry, Aviation Round Table, has also expressed concern about the delay in the nominee’s confirmation.
It is not clear if the Committee on Aviation had recommended his clearance to the whole Senate for confirmation.
Efforts to speak with the Chairman of Senate Aviation Committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma, to explain reasons for the delay have so far proven futile, even as his aide, who promised to get back to Vanguard on the issue, refused to do so days after.
Senator Uzodinma has also not responded to text messages sent to his mobile phone.
In the aftermath of the sacking of immediate past DG of the regulatory agency, Dr. Harold Demuren, on March 12, the President sent Akinkuotu’s name to the Senate two days later, asking the upper chamber of the National Assembly to expedite action on his confirmation because of the sensitive nature of the aviation sector.
Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the President was not happy that over two months after he sent the nominee’s name to the Senate, he was yet to be confirmed.
The President’s letter to the Senate read in part: “Following concerns expressed by aviation stakeholders on perceived poor Internal Audit and Quality Assurance within NCAA, the Federal Government is in the process of restructuring the authority for better and more efficient service delivery.
“Consequently, Dr. Harold Olusegun Demuren has been relieved of his appointment as the Director General of the NCAA in line with provisions of Section 8 (3) (a) and (c) of the Civil Aviation Act of 2006.
“In line with Section (8) (1) of the Civil Aviation Act of 2006, I hereby present the nomination of Captain Fola Akinkuotu, from the same geo-political zone as Demuren as Director General of NCAA for the confirmation of the Senate.
“His Curriculum Vitae is attached. It is my hope that the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will consider and confirm the nominee in your usual expeditious manner.”
Why Jonathan’s calm
According to a source, the President is calm about the development because he didn’t want to be seen fighting the Senate on another front, having been locked in a battle with the lawmakers over his refusal to sack Arunma Oteh, Security and Exchange Commission’s DG.
It was learnt that the President’s plea for expeditious confirmation of the nominee was informed by the need to assuage the feelings of people of the South-West geo-political zone, who saw Demuren’s sack as a continuation of marginalisation in the aviation sector.
A source also told Vanguard that the delay in confirming the nominee as substantive head of NCAA was a deliberate plan by the Senate Committee on Aviation to prolong the stay of acting Director-General of the agency, Joyce Nkemakolam, in office.
The source said: “The industry today is dominated by people from one geo-political zone of the country. The minister, chairpersons of the two aviation committees in the Senate and House of Representatives, to Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, are all from the same zone.
“Therefore, there is this feeling that these key figures in government are deliberately delaying this confirmation to protect the interest of their zone.
“I would want to leave the minister out of this game plan because she really tried to ensure that Demuren was not sacked. But unfortunately, it is this same Senate that put pressures on the President to sack him that is dilly-dallying now in confirming a new director-general for the agency.”
Criteria, politics
Another source also raised questions about the eligibility of who should occupy the seat, as the acting DG is an air traffic controller.
The NCAA Act stipulates that only a pilot or an aircraft or aeronautic engineer could occupy the office of NCAA’s DG.
Already, stakeholders in the industry are getting restive about the implication this would have on safety in the sector, as they contend that the aviation sector was too technical and sensitive to be drawn into politics.
Aviation expert and certified instructor of US Federal Aviation Administration, Capt. Tito Omaghomi, wondered why the Senate should hold on to the nominee’s confirmation a month after his questioning by the Senate Committee on Aviation.
Aviation groups react
Omaghomi told Vanguard on the telephone, yesterday: “We were all in the Senate when he was drilled for three hours 15 minutes by the committee and he answered all the questions asked him confidently.
“He is absolutely qualified to occupy this position, so why are they delaying his confirmation?
“If they say he is not qualified for the job, let them tell us. The young man was doing his thing at Kwara State Aviation Academy as rector when the President appointed him.”
Omaghomi, who is also President of aviation advocacy group, Concerned Aviation Professionals, CAP, said the industry was currently in a delicate position not to have a qualified head.
Another pressure group in the industry, Aviation Round Table, has also expressed concern about the delay in the nominee’s confirmation.
It is not clear if the Committee on Aviation had recommended his clearance to the whole Senate for confirmation.
Efforts to speak with the Chairman of Senate Aviation Committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma, to explain reasons for the delay have so far proven futile, even as his aide, who promised to get back to Vanguard on the issue, refused to do so days after.
Senator Uzodinma has also not responded to text messages sent to his mobile phone.
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