Sirika gives aviation agencies 45-day ultimatum to relocate to Abuja

Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, has given aviation agencies a 45-day ultimatum to relocate to Abuja.

In a letter dated May 4, 2020, with reference number FMA/PMD/7061/T/4, the minister said the directive is necessary considering the “need to reduce the cost of governance and manage scarce resources in a sustainable way”.

The affected aviation agencies are the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).

“I am directed to remind you of a presidential directive issued in 2012 requesting all the agencies under the ministry of aviation to relocate their corporate headquarters to the federal capital territory (Abuja) for efficient and effective coordination and enhanced service delivery and note that eight (8) years after the directive, the agencies are yet to comply,” the letter signed by Mohammad Shehu, the minister’s director of human resource management, read.

“Accordingly, considering the current situation and the economic impact worldwide as well as the need to reduce the cost of governance and manage scarce resources in a sustainable way, it has become imperative and further to the honourable minister’s directive (copy attached) to request that you facilitate and complete the relocation of your corporate headquarters within the next forty-five (45) days in line with this earlier directive.”

There has been tension among stakeholders in the aviation industry after an announcement that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye report.

The report recommends the merger of NAMA, NCAA and NIMET into the federal civil aviation administration.