Stakeholders in the nation’s aviation sector have warned against possible sanction on Nigeria over the acting director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who has continued to stay in office despite the expiration of his tenure.
LEADERSHIP reports that the position of the DG of NCAA has become vacant after the tenure of the acting DG, Capt. Chris Najomo, expired on Thursday, 12th December, 2024.
However, 48 hours after the expiration of Najomo’s appointment as acting DG, President Bola Tinubu, has not announced renewal of his appointment or sent his name to the Senate for confirmation as substantive DG of the agency.
However, despite expiration of the acting DG’s tenure, he still attend to correspondence and other administrative issues in the agency
For instance, on Monday, 16th December, 2024, the acting DG signed correspondence announcing the postponement of the Minister of Aviation’s engagement with Stakeholders in the aviation sector.
The letter addressed to Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), reads, “RE: HONOURABLE MINISTER’S ENGAGEMENT WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AVIATION SECTOR
“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority wishes to inform that the above meeting was earlier scheduled for 18th December. 2024 has been postponed to the first quarter of next year 2025.
The Authority regrets any inconveniences this might have caused. A new date would be communicated prior to the engagement. Please accept as always, my best regards.
“Capt. Chris Najomo, Ag. Director General Civil Aviation”
Stakeholders, however, queried why Capt. Najomo still attends to official issues or correspondence despite the expiration of his tenure as acting DG NCAA.
“The tenure of the acting DG expired on 12 December 2024 and has not been extended by President Tinubu. Why is he signing a document on 16 December, 2024 four days after the expiration of his tenure. This is an illegal act by the Regulator of the industry,” a source said in a chat with LEADERSHIP.
Also speaking, an airline operator who craved anonymity, it will be difficult for the NCAA acting DG to be named substantive DG except the suspended DG, Capt. Musa Nuhu, resigned his appointment or was removed by two third majority of the senate.
He said, though the suspended DG tenure ends in February, a substantive DG cannot be appointed until the expiration of his tenure.
The airline operator, however, advised a middle ground, saying the industry is on the edge over the imbroglio.
“The refusal of the substantive DG, Capt. Nuhu, to resign or step down from office had delayed Capt. Najomo’s appointment and kept him in acting position for over 12 months because section 3 of the Management and Staff of the Authority of NCAA Act 2022 specified that the substantive Director-General could only be removed from office by the president subject to confirmation by the Senate and until this is done, there can’t be a appointment of substantive DG.”
Also speaking, aviation analyst, Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), said Nigeria risks sanction from international agencies over the stalemate in appointment of substantive DG of NCAA.
“The President appoints the DG through the recommendation of the Minister subject to confirmation by the Senate. The Civil Aviation Act, 2022 Part IV – Management and Staff of the Authority 11. (1), clearly confirms the process of appointing the DG.
“In a nutshell, if Mr. President agrees with the minister’s nomination, the office of the President sends a letter of appointment to the Senate for confirmation, this is not the case with the Acting DG as the President only appointed in an acting capacity with the tenure expiring on 12 December except the President decides to renew it or appoint him as a substantive DG for Senate confirmation.”
“All those campaigning and clamouring for the confirmation of the acting DG are either outright mischievous or ignorant of the relevant provisions of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022 on the process of appointing the DG.
“Any deviation from this process will certainly create a crisis of confidence and or lawsuits. This will certainly put Nigeria in the bad records of major international organizations with possible sanctions.”
Effort to speak with Capt. Najomo proved abortive as text and Whatsapp messages sent to his phone number by our Correspondent were not responded to as at the time of filing this report.
