Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has told aviation agencies chief executive officers to perform or get sacked.
Keyamo stated this yesterday while speaking at an Aviation Stakeholders Forum put together by the ministry for players, operators, regulators and agencies under its supervision.
Describing the forum as an avenue for input gathering, Keyamo said President Ahmed Bola Tinubu had given the Ministers the Key Performance Index (KPIs) to drive the Renewed Hope Agenda and its economic blueprint.
He said he would spare no efforts to ensure that agencies under the ministry play their own role and ensure that set targets and objectives are accomplished within agreed timelines.
Urging chief executive officers in the aviation sector not to erect roadblocks in the way of the President’s mandate, Keyamo said he would not hesitate to clear out of the way any agency head not working in line with the agenda.
Keyamo said: “We had a three-day retreat with Mr. President, all the ministers. At the end of the day, we signed a performance bond.
“I also signed my performance bond yesterday. So, if you don’t want me to get sacked in the next few months, you need to support me”.
Facing the CEOs in attendance, he said: “On this side, it is either I get sacked or they get sacked. So, it is a race of who will survive.
“That’s what I have told all my CEOs. Somebody must die first but before I die. I will take you down”.
Keyamo said the purpose of the retreat was “to receive inputs from you as technocrats and players in the industry.
“Your input will add value to the road map/focus area that the industry will prioritise to make our aviation sector world class and meet the aspirations of Nigerians and all aviation stakeholders.
“We should desist from game blame and focus on solving the problems in the industry.
“As you are aware, Mr. President has unveiled his economic plan.
“The three-year economic revival plan that emerged from his inaugural Federal Executive Council meeting is anchored in an Eight-Point focus area targeted at addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
“It seeks to move away from the frenzied borrowing of the last government, check the unacceptably high jobless rate, achieve economic growth, prosperity for all, and end poverty.
“Thus, we as an industry, will factor into our own focus areas for the development of the industry and in turn the economic development of our nation”.
He went on to highlight activities under his ministry since his appointment.
He said: “You will recall that following my appointment by Mr President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I had gone on inspection of the Nigeria airports i.e. Lagos and Abuja.
“I set up a task force for the relocation of foreign airlines from the old international terminal to the new terminal following the state of disrepair of the old terminal which does not speak well about Nigeria as a people.
“The task force has since submitted their report. We are looking at their recommendations for possible action. We will overhaul this terminal to further boost the revenue drive of our airports.
“I equally, formally received the land for the construction of the 2nd runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from the Jiwa Community. This is a historic event and dream come through, which Nigerians have looked up to for the past two decades.
“You can rest assured that the benefits of the second runway will provide a substantial economic advantage to the nation.
“I have also received briefs from some of the agencies under the ministry and the unions in the aviation industry.
“I have taken note of the concerns raised. After this engagement, we shall have a management retreat where we will further distil your inputs as stakeholders to move the Aviation Industry forward”.
The minister asked industry players to forward to his office a petition on an agency that was collecting on helicopter operations on behalf of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
He said the ministry was getting worried over signals emanating from the industry suggesting that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Agency (NCAA) was not doing enough to curb the trend of flight delays and cancellations; a development that has become a regular headache for passengers.
Keyamo urged the NCAA to make public reports of airlines involved in flight delays and cancellations with reasons responsible for the infraction.”
Keyamo further said that only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the best to give the final position on the status of the controversial national carrier – Nigeria Air.
