Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo
By Sade Williams
Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo, has explained how his intervention stopped the merger of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) as recommended in the Oronsanye report.
Speaking during a Symposium and Gala Nite organized in Abuja to celebrate the 25th anniversary of NCAA, he said even though the report was ready years back, it was not discussed during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, until now when it was brought to the front burner.
He said he made the Federal government see reasons the regulatory Authority should not be scrapped or merged with another agency adding that the president listened to the arguments and dropped the plan.
According to Keyamo, ‘NCAA is a child of God, and despite turbulent waters and attempts sometimes to kill the NCAA, the NCA has survived 25 years. And I’m sure you know that any child that is born at the age of 25, of course, is undoubtedly an age of maturity.
“The Oronsanye reports also recommended the merger of NCAA and NAMA. And so that was also another attempt to kill the NCAA. That report was passed from Jonathan’s government to Buhari’s government, and then to the present government.
“It was one of the first items we considered in this government. So the Oronsanye reports came up that day, and the president went on and on, considered every item in the Oronsanye report, and asked the council to vote. And for each item, they would listen to the ministers and so the president came to the merger of NCAA and NAMA as one body.
“I raised my hand, I spoke for about five minutes and because we have a wonderful president who listens to good counsel and good arguments, after I finished speaking, he said, an item dropped, the merger of NCAA and NAMA would not remain”., he said.
Keyamo noted that the aviation sector remains a pillar of national development, facilitating trade, tourism, investment, and cultural exchange, adding that while it is yet to realize its true potential in terms of contribution to our nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), ‘we must renew our commitment to ensuring a more progressive, sustainable, inclusive, innovative, and prosperous aviation industry.
“This necessitates the continuous adoption and integration of emerging technologies, enhancing infrastructure, and investing in human capital development to keep our skies safer and secure and attain cohesive and efficient air transportation services”, he added.
