Emmanuel OchayiThe Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has sent a warning to officials of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) that “It is either I get sacked, or you get sacked.”
Keyamo expressed his concern about the aviation industry in Nigeria, where over 100 airlines have collapsed in the last 20 to 25 years, leading to a significant loss of lives and businesses. At the heart of the matter were NAMA’s allegedly outdated and unnecessary contracts with foreign companies that have burdened the industry and the nation.
This comes days after President Bola Tinubu in Abuja urged members of his cabinet to work assiduously towards achieving the mandate of their ministries or be ready to leave the government. Tinubu stated this in his address at the three-day 2023 Cabinet Retreat for Ministers, Presidential Aides, Permanent Secretaries, and Top government functionaries, with the theme: “Delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
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Speaking at the Aviation Industry Stakeholders’ forum, Keyamo minced no words, saying, “We won’t enter into obsolete projects again in this industry. When I leave here, you people can continue whatever you are doing. We will sit down on the NAMA budget. We need to know whatever we are buying in the 2024 budget.”
But it didn’t stop there. The Minister read the riot act to CEOs of aviation agencies, making it clear that they must adhere to the government’s Key Performance Indexes (KPIs). Keyamo explained that he had signed a KPI bond with President Bola Tinubu, along with other ministers, and was determined to fulfill his obligations.
He stated, “On this side, it is either I get sacked or they get sacked. So, it is a race to who will survive. That’s what I have told all my CEOs; somebody must die first, but before I die, I will take you down.”
The purpose of the forum, according to Keyamo, was to gather insights and inputs from all stakeholders in the aviation sector. He believed that these inputs would help shape the industry’s roadmap and focus, allowing for a more strategic approach to prioritizing activities.
Furthermore, Keyamo disclosed that the government was making concrete decisions about the Nigeria Air project, emphasizing that the file was currently on the table of President Bola Tinubu.
On a final note, the Minister expressed his concern over the continuous decline of indigenous airlines, vowing that the government would offer support. He highlighted the alarming fact that over 100 airlines have folded in the past 20 to 25 years, underscoring the need for serious operational changes within the industry.
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