Why we stopped Patience Jonathan at the airport - FAAN

The convoy carrying the wife of the former President, Dame Patience Jonathan, was stopped from taking her to the foot of the aircraft on the tarmac of the Port Harcourt International Airport, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has said.

Mrs. Patience Jonathan
| credits: kenetomagazine.blogspot.com

The former First Lady was reportedly stopped from using the VIP lounge of the airport. But the FAAN said it was not so. It was learnt that Dame Jonathan had gone to Port Harcourt on a private visit.

Sources at the airport also alleged that the former First Lady was denied access to the lounge by security operatives of FAAN, who reportedly said they were working based on orders from “above.”

But reacting to the report, FAAN, in a statement on Tuesday, described it as misleading and mischievous, stressing that the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan was not denied access to “the VIP lounge at the Port Harcourt International Airport on July 27, 2015.”

However, the authority was quick to state that what its security officials did was to stop the former First Lady’s convoy from gaining access to the tarmac where her aircraft was parked.

The General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Yakubu Dati, said the security officials explained to Dame Jonathan’s team why her convoy was stopped, adding that the officials were only abiding by international safety standards.

FAAN said, “The former First Lady’s convoy was only denied access to the foot of the aircraft during boarding formalities at the airport in line with international aviation best practices, strictly for safety reasons, as prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Our security officials explained this fact to details of the former First Lady.

“We wish to recall that former President Goodluck Jonathan, in his recent trips from the same airport, had had to walk to the aircraft from the protocol lounge, in recognition of this ICAO regulation.”

FAAN went on to explain that family members of former Presidents were officially entitled to use the VIP lounge, adding that Dame Jonathan would not be denied that right.

It said, “We wish to state that no such thing happened as Dame Jonathan, like other family members of former Presidents and other designated principal officers of government, are officially entitled to the usage of airport VIP and protocol lounges under the management of FAAN.”

Click here to read the opposite statement from APC

Why we stopped Patience Jonathan at the airport - FAAN

Shake up in Aviation as Jonathan sacks FAAN, NCAA, NAMA, NCAT directors

 

A massive shake-up hit aviation agencies yesterday – three weeks after Princess Stella Oduah was removed as minister.

The sudden sack gale provoked mixed feelings at the headquarters of the agencies in Lagos.

President Goodluck Jonathan

A statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, said President Goodluck Jonathan approved the reorganisation.

Only Dr. Tony Anuforo retained his position as Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

The statement by Sam Nwaobasi, Special Assistant (Media) to the SGF, said: “Mr. Saleh Dumona (Director Projects, FAAN) is to replace Mr. George Uriesi as Managing-Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

“Mr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam (General Manager, Procurements (NAMA) is to replace Mr. Nnamdi Udoh as Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

“Capt. Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick (Government Safety Inspector & ICAO Focal Point for Nigeria on line Aircraft Safety Information Systems, OASIS) is to replace Capt. (Mrs.) Chinyere Kalu as Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).

“Capt. Muhktar Usman (Commissioner, Accident Investigation & Prevention Bureau, AIPB) is to replace Capt. Fola C. Akinkuotu as Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), subject to confirmation by the Senate.

“Mr. Benedict Adeyileka is to act as DG, NCAA, pending his confirmation by the Senate.

Dr. Felix A. Abali (Director Licencing, NCAA) is to replace Capt. Muhktar Usman as Commissioner, Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIPB).”

The sack of the NCAA director general is coming on the heels of plans by the government to undergo the re-certification of Nigeria’s safety rating for Category One status.

The United States (U.S.) team to carry out the audit will arrive in Nigeria this month.

Nigeria attained Category One on September 18, 2010.

Part of the requirements of the re-assessment is: certification of major international airports, the operations of aviation agencies, including airspace authority, aviation training college and the meteorological agency.

The recertification is part of the processes to revalidate the highest civil aviation rating, which ensures that Nigeria is in line with updated standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Aviation stakeholders expressed mixed reactions over the sack of heads of the agencies. They described removal of the NCAA DG as “controversial”.

Mr. Sheri Kyari, executive director of the Centre for Aviation Safety and Research, said the industry would require time to recover from the restructuring.

Captain Dele Ore, president of Aviation RoundTable, said he could not comment because no reason was given for the removal of the director general of the NCAA.

Other players in the sector, who declined to give their names, said frequent changes of leadership could have some negative impact on the industry.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Act (2006) specifies conditions under which the NCAA DG could be removed from office.

It states: “There shall be for the Authority a Director-General who shall be appointed by the President, on such terms and conditions as stipulated in the Act, subject to the confirmation by the Senate.

“The Director–General shall be primarily responsible for the fostering of the safety of Civil Aviation in Nigeria and shall be the chief executive and accounting officer of the Authority responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Authority.

“He shall be appointed for a term of five years in the first instance and may be reappointed for a further term of five years and no more.

“A person who possesses relevant and adequate professional qualification and shall have been so qualified for a period of not less than 15 years.

“The Director-General may be suspended or removed from office by the president if he has demonstrated inability to effectively perform the duties of his office.

“If has been absent from 5 (five) consecutive meetings of the Board without the consent of the Chairman, unless he shows good reasons for such absence.”

“If he is guilty of serious misconduct in relation to his duties as Director-General.

The condition also states that in the case of a person possessed of professional qualifications, he could be removed if he is disqualified or suspended from practising his profession in any part of the world by an order of a competent authority.

“Or he is guilty of a conflict of interest as stipulated in Section 10 of this Act.

“The Director-General shall not be removed from office except in accordance with the provisions of this Act.” (0)

Shake up in Aviation as Jonathan sacks FAAN, NCAA, NAMA, NCAT directors