In a last-minute reorganization of the aviation industry, the Federal Government has fired Mr. Mathew Pwajok, the Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency(NAMA).
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s Director of Airspace and Aerodrome, Mr. Tayib Odunowo, has reportedly been named as his replacement by Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika.
This occurred just one week after Sirika replaced Captain Rabiu Yadudu, whose term as managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had expired last Saturday. Yadudu was replaced as managing director of FAAN by Mr. Kabir Mohammed, who was selected by the minister.
Saleh Dunouma, who completed his position with the authority a few years ago, was followed by Yadudu, a former Director of Airport Operations. Yadudu was chosen in the year 2019.
According to rumors, the minister may yet replace certain directors as part of the reorganization and dismiss the head of another aviation body.
However, operators and industry stakeholders have criticized Sirika’s conduct, claiming that the last-minute modifications could have an impact on the sector.
They protested the lack of confirmation for the substituted NAMA MD, Pwajok, who was appointed in an interim capacity in February 2022 and has since lasted longer than the allotted six months to lead the agency.
The minister’s last-minute actions have been criticized as being unacceptable and unnecessary by a lobbying group for the sector called Aviation Round Table.
In a statement, the organization claimed that the aviation minister “appropriated the necessary governance structure under his personal control for eight solid years by neglecting to appoint the statutory governing boards required to ease the functions of the agencies and parastatals under his control.”
Among the minister’s other measures, they believe that this one caused the organizations to decline rather than advance. The agencies operated transactionally rather than operationally as a result of the minister’s direct control, which hindered both their advancement and his rating.
“The minister’s micromanagement activities have further shown the need to abolish the Ministry of Aviation and reassign the various departments with proper governance structures back to the Ministry of Transport, while simultaneously granting independence to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority under the appropriate internationally recognized structures for regulating the Nigerian aviation sector to achieve global best practices.
