The inauguration of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) board by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has sparked renewed calls for broader reforms in the country’s aviation sector.
Comrade AbdulRasaq Saidu, Secretary General of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently constitute and inaugurate the boards of other aviation parastatals. According to him, leaving these agencies without their statutory boards undermines discipline, accountability, and aviation safety.
In an interview reflecting on the recent appointment of former APC National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, as FAAN Board Chairman, Saidu described the move as a step in the right direction but warned that much more needs to be done.
“We welcome the inauguration of the FAAN board, but it is long overdue. The entire aviation sector needs proper governance structures in place. President Tinubu must immediately appoint boards for all aviation parastatals to ensure equity and safeguard the system’s integrity,” Saidu said.
He stressed that ANAP has consistently demanded the correction of governance lapses in the aviation industry, warning that the absence of boards has created room for unchecked decisions on employment, contracts, and daily operations.
“Most of the employment and contract approvals in aviation agencies are supposed to pass through their governing boards. Unfortunately, without these boards, decisions are taken unilaterally, which is dangerous for the system,” Saidu noted.
The ANAP chief criticized the administration of former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, for what he described as eight years of disregard for statutory processes. According to Saidu, although former President Muhammadu Buhari announced board appointments during his tenure, Sirika failed to inaugurate them.
“ANAP raised this matter several times during Sirika’s tenure, yet no action was taken. Even though Buhari named board members, Sirika ignored them, and the appointments died without being implemented. Sadly, the Tinubu administration is showing signs of continuing down the same path,” he said.
Saidu decried the persistent violation of the Acts establishing aviation agencies, which stipulate that governing boards should make key decisions rather than ministers acting alone.
“There are decisions that only governing boards should take, but in their absence, ministers have assumed those powers, sidelining statutory provisions,” he added.
He emphasized that the aviation sector’s safety and transparency cannot be guaranteed without functional boards overseeing critical agencies such as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).
For ANAP, the inauguration of FAAN’s board must mark the beginning of broader reforms. The association insists that restoring full governance structures is essential for ensuring safety, transparency, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
As industry stakeholders await further action from the government, many are hopeful that the Tinubu administration will break away from past neglect and fully implement the governance framework needed to keep Nigeria’s skies safe.
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