Aviation
Nigeria’s armored car debacle: why Stella Oduah must be fired!
By Yemie Adeoye
HOUSTON – Nigeria’s aviation sector since the new political dispensation in 1999 has been through unspeakable woes that leave the sanest minds wondering if it is physical or spiritual the problem rocking the nation through this highly essential sector.
Why it remains sad that the globally acclaimed safest means of transportation has remained a nightmare in Nigeria, it is also a noted fact that previous ministers have lacked the necessary focus or direction to drive the sector positively and have only being majorly concerned about what personal deals can be closed before they are ousted.
This sad development I would want to blame on the office and person of the President of the federal republic of Nigeria and by extension the ‘Take a Bow’ National Assembly.
Appointment into certain offices should never be political as we have seen in Nigeria’s highly technical sectors from Energy to Aviation to defense, Power, Transport, works etc all these have been headed by people that can best be described as extremely incompetent. Hence we are saddled with aircrafts that crash at take off due to technical problems, and these are planes certified fit for commercial operations by the regulating Agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. If these Agencies had heads formulating technical and globally competitive policies over 75 percent of the Air accidents since 1999 could have been averted.
The Aviation sector is hugely important to the economy of any nation. One of the largest contributors to the United Kingdom economy is the Aviation sector and there is no limit to the amount of advancement that the UK government would give to that sector starting from the selection of the person to man the sector and formulate highly needed policy for guidance and advancement.
It is however unfortunate and grossly so that the most visibly working Minister since 1999 in the person of Princess Stella Oduah has also been affected by Nigeria’s worse and most nightmarish virus ‘corruption’ I’m sure a careful study would reveal that corruption kills more people career–wise in Nigeria than AIDS kill people physically. We have undergraduates across our Universities in Nigeria waiting to graduate and become a millionaire same year! How? That’s another topic.
Oduah it would be recalled resolved quite a number of seemingly irresolvable crises in the sector immediately she assumed duties as the nations Aviation Minister. The Maevis contract that tends to shortchange the FAAN rather than improve on its income. The agreement with the Agency was obnoxious and it was to say the least hampering developments of the 22 airports under its management.
There were other issues like the highly controversial Bi-Courtney concession which she has handled professionally to a large extent especially her stoic refusal to hand over the Grand Aviation Terminal (GAT) to Bi-Courtney after bringing it down and rebuilding it under a year.
I’m a frequent international traveler and the transformation I see at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport is simply unprecedented since its inception, and such modification is ongoing nationwide under her watch. A co-traveler once told me she is the best Aviation Minister since the new democratic dispensation in 1999 and even if I found it hard to accept I couldn’t summon enough points to refute that claim because in the city of the blind the one eyed man is king.
But inspite of all this I still strongly opine that Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Nigeria’s Current Aviation Minister Should either resign or be fired by President Jonathan.
The reason for this seemingly aggressive posture is simple. Firstly, there is a claim of an ongoing anti-corruption war by the federal government which is already looking clumsy. The Federal Government is an institution and should be predictable because it is guided by a constitution.
Secondly, a precedent has been set, Former Minister of Health, Professor Adenike Grange was forced to resign by the Presidency under the Late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua over a N300 million scam, after which she was arrested and prosecuted by the Nation’s anti graft Agency, EFCC. It is my strong opinion that in order to serve as a deterrent to future pilferers who are yet to be appointed this precedent must be upheld.
Her appearance at the House of Representative committee on Aviation enquiry panel last week is an attempt to rub salt into injury by further taking Nigerians on a needless ride through her disgraceful defense of the undefendable. “Do the needful” in a Country as corrupt as Nigeria does not mean anything. It is totally meaningless and a daft at the NCAA could have interpreted it to mean just anything. Do the needful can be ‘get the cars stupid, and park them in my private garage”. It could mean ‘get it, sell it and stash the proceeds in an account for me’. It could mean just anything, and no responsible Minister in a corrupt environment like ours, where sycophancy in Government circle is the order of the day would say such nothing and not expect something.
It is however not so pleasant to Nigerians when the President sets up a committee simply because one ‘privileged’ person misappropriated N255million naira, when we know that her approval limits is only about a hundred million naira. That simply means the Bureau for Public Procurement which is totally unaware of this transaction should have been the approving Agency after the FEC’s initial approval. But all this did not happen and in clear-cut terms it is a breach of due process as approved by the nation’s constitution.
Now it become more annoying and reminds Nigerians across board of the Bode George trial days for the Minister either directly or through proxies to mobilize youths and women from the Eastern part of the Country to protest over her ongoing travails. It is not just unprofessional but so nauseating to see highly impoverished youths and women protesting on behalf of someone whom they probably have not and would not meet in this lifetime. If she had done the needful as professionally as possible no one would have castigated her, especially at a time when the only Airlines we have running the Country professionally are just Arik and Aero, Medview is also trying but that is at best the befitting description.
For these and other reasons, the Minister should be fired, since she has refused to do the honorable because it is un-Nigerian to resign from public office even in the face of proven guilt.
Need I say that there is no politicking about the matter on hand, so building tribal sentiments about it insults the sensibilities of Nigerians. A lot is happening in other ministries but until those involved are exposed in this manner we may not be able to do or say much. In the mean time if we as a nation desires to be taken seriously by the west and other international investors then Government at all times needs to be predictable and must always do the needful no matter who is involved.
Mr. Adeoye a media consultant and Public Affairs analyst writes from Houston, Tx.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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