New Telegraph

FG merges NCAA directorates, sacks directors

The Federal Government has cut the number of directorates in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to six from nine. This is coming as three directors have been relieved of their duties in what the aviation regulatory body termed restructuring.

Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, in a statement yesterday, disclosed that the directorates which are the major organs of the authority had been reduced from nine to six. Nuhu listed the new and retained directorates as Airworthiness Standards (DAWS), Operations, Licensing and Training (DOLT), Air Transport Regulations (DATR, Aerodrome and Airspace Standards (DAAS), Finance and Accounts (DFA) and the Directorate of Human Resources and Administration (DHR&A). The directorates of Consumer Protection and General Aviation have been phased out.

While the former is merged with DATR, the latter is subsumed under the Directorate of Airworthiness Standards; Similarly, two new directors have been appointed by the Federal Government to take charge of the Directorates of Airworthiness Standards (DAWS) and Operations, Licensing and Training (DOLT).

The newly appointed directors, who are aviation professionals with several decades of industry experience in their areas of expertise in the aviation industry, are Engr. Kayode Ajiboye for DAWS and Captain Elisha Bahago for DOLT. Nuhu said: “The approved restructuring is aimed at repositioning the NCAA for effective and efficient service delivery and also to entrench a robust Safety Oversight System in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices, while enabling the regulatory body resolve current and emerging challenges facing the industry.”

The Federal Government had carried out restructuring of virtually all the agencies in aviation industry since 2016. The restructuring started with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) with the demotion of some directors and 10 General Managers of the agency. Few months after the restructuring in FAAN, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) followed suit by removing two directors.

The two were former Director of Administration Ibrahim Saleh and Human Resources Director, Uwem Akangson. Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika had, few months ago, complained about the huge number of general managers and over-bloating of many of the agencies with the creation of more directorates and departments; thus leading to duplication of duties. Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, yesterday disclosed that plans are underway for the merger of some directorates and agencies in the ministry for cost cutting and efficiency.

He said, as a matter of policy and road map approved by the President long ago, “the merger will make all of our agencies very efficient, reduce bureaucracy, streamline and narrow them in accordance with international best practice.” He said: “Some of the directors that don’t fall in the approved road map will certainly have to go. It’s just a matter of policy and it is going to cut across almost every single agency there.”

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