Minister says no link between Osinbajo’s visit and reorganisation in aviation agencies

The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen.

Sirika said this in a statement signed an released to newsmen by Mr James Odaudu, Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs, Ministry of Transportation in Abuja.

It was also to identify possible areas that needed the government’s immediate attention, he said.According to him, a section of the nation’s media decided, rather inexplicably, to establish a link between Osinbajo’s visit and the recent reorganisation at the nation’s aviation agencies.

“It must be made clear that there is no basis to link both events together.

“The reorganisation in the agencies is part of an ongoing process to reposition them to properly and adequately carry out their regulatory mandates.

“It will be recalled that President Mohammadu Buhari-led administration, at inception, placed aviation among top priority areas that will be reorganised and repositioned to contribute more to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“It, therefore, amounts to an error of judgment to attribute the reorganisation to the visit of Osinbajo to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

“Practitioners in the media industry are, therefore, advised to always cross check their information before going to press in order to avoid unnecessary controversies and stop misinforming the public.’’

The Federal Government had on Friday carried out a major shakeup in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) by terminating the appointments of nine directors.

It also announced the appointment of three directors and a general manager for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to replace the directors it sacked in October 2016.