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There is palpable tension in the nation’s aviation sector as the tenure of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) acting director general, Capt Chris Najomo, expires on Thursday, December 12, 2024.
The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, appointed Capt. Najomo in acting capacity on December 13, 2023, after suspending the substantive director-general, Capt Musa Nuhu, over alleged corrupt practices.
However, Section 7 of the federal government’s Public Service Rules on Acting Appointment states that any officer appointed in acting capacity cannot serve more than 12 months in such a position.
The relevant Section 7 of the federal government’s Civil Service Rules also said that recommendations for such an appointee in acting capacity must be forwarded to the Federal Civil Service Commission and must include a certificate stating that the acting officer would assume the full duties and responsibilities of the post.
With Najomo’s assumption of office in acting capacity on December 13, 2023, according to the civil service rules, his one-year tenure is expected to end today, December 12, 2024.
With this, he is expected to step down from office unless reappointed by the president on the recommendation of the minister on or before December 13, 2024.
However, stepping down from office will create a vacuum in the administration of the nation’s leading regulatory agency in the aviation sector.
The rules added, “The period of acting appointment shall not exceed one year but, in exceptional circumstances, may be extended for another year.”
LEADERSHIP, however, gathered that the substantive DG, Capt Nuhu’s refusal to resign or step down from office delayed Capt. Najomo’s confirmation kept him in the acting position for 12 months.
This is because section 3 of the Management and Staff of the Authority of NCAA Act 2022 states that the substantive director-general can only be removed from office by the president, subject to confirmation by the Senate, when he is of unsound mind, absent from five consecutive board meetings without the chairman’s consent unless he shows good reason for such absence, or guilty of serious misconduct.
Other conditions for removal are if the person is disqualified or suspended from practising his profession in any part of the world by an order of a competent authority or is in a conflict of interest as stipulated in the First Schedule to the Act, among others.
LEADERSHIP gathered that Capt. Nuhu had assumed office on February 24, 2020 and that his five-year tenure was expected to end on February 23, 2025.
Speaking on the uncertainty about the agency’s leadership, an industry analyst and former Commandant of Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, Capt. John Ojikutu said a substantive DG cannot be appointed without Capt Nuhu’s exit.
He wondered why Capt Najomo’s name was not sent to the National Assembly almost 12 months after his appointment.
“I understand that they still have runnings with the issue about Nuhu, and if they refuse to settle, they can’t proceed on Najomo,” Ojikutu argued.
All efforts to speak to the minister on when Najomo’s name will be sent to the Senate for confirmation were futile. At the time of filing this report, text messages sent to the minister, Festus Keyamo, and his spokesman, Tunde Moshood, had not been responded to.
LEADERSHIP reports that stakeholders have been seriously lobbying for Najomo to be confirmed as substantive DG in the last few weeks.
For instance, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), through its vice president, Allen Onyema, has urged the government to approve Najomo’s appointment as substantive DG.
Onyema, who is also the chairman of Air Peace, said that Najomo’s arrival at the NCAA had revolutionised the sector by ensuring the safety of aircraft and passengers and other topical issues that airlines and airport workers take seriously.
He said, “This man has come into the industry; he is not a novice. This is one of Nigeria’s finest pilots ever created under the sun. Quote me: Captain Chris Najomo is one of the most proficient pilots, not just in Nigeria. He has paid his dues.
“Not only that, but he has also paid his dues in airline management. Don’t forget that he was once the managing director of an airline. So he knows the pains of the operators. On the other hand, you need to go to the NCAA. When you go to the NCAA today, the people are full of smiles because of Najomo. This is the kind of thing nobody should pray to lose. If we take it for granted, our fingers will be burnt.”
Cargo Airplane Skids-off, Safety Bureau Investigates Incident
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched an enquiry into the runway incident involving a Boeing 737-400 Cargo aircraft at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
Both the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the safety of all crew members after a cargo airplane skidded off the runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The aircraft with registration and nationality marks 5N-JRT is operated by Allied Air.
The director of consumer protection and public affairs, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, while confirming the incident, said, “Due to an incident at the Abuja airport, passengers may experience some delays, please be patient and orderly.”
FAAN spokesperson Obiageli Orah said: “At 10:05 am on December 11, 2024, an Allied Air Cargo aircraft with registration number 5N-JRT skidded off Runway 22 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja with five souls on board with no reported injury. They were all safely evacuated and taken to the FAAN clinic for further checks.”
The FAAN thanked the aviation community and the general public for their understanding and patience and requested that all speculation be put on hold until the preliminary report is released by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance Bimbo Oladeji said the incident occurred at approximately 10:06 a.m. local time on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
“The aircraft, operating as flight AJK206 from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, skidded off the right side of Runway 22 into the grass verge after landing. No fatalities or injuries to the crew or ground personnel have been reported.
“The aircraft sustained significant damage. Emergency response teams were promptly deployed to the scene to ensure the safety of all personnel and secure the site.
“The NSIB has initiated an investigation to determine the causal and contributory factors that led to this incident. Our Go Team has been dispatched to the site to conduct an on-site assessment, recover relevant data, and interview involved parties.d
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