BELATED LAMENTATIONS OF CHIEF CHIDOKA

The outgoing, and hopefully, last Aviation Minister, if our aspirations for efficient administration and cost reduction in the industry come to pass, was in his usual arrogant and passing the buck mood at his valedictory session with selected stakeholders. During the session, he carefully tabled assignments that he could have addressed while in office unhindered for the incoming administration to tackle. On his appointment, the outgoing President said he was bringing him in as a striker to score dying minute goals and also defend the perceived lead in a game that had not ended. The Chief himself told us that he is not in a hurry and has enough time to achieve and surpass the expectations and aspirations of the GEJ Administration. He therefore attended several executive aviation programmes and mini training courses in Canada to get acquainted with issues in the industry. On his return, he met industry stakeholders and dictated instead of listening during the multiple sessions, and in line with protocol, the agency heads nodded in agreement. Thereafter, he proceeded to assert himself perfectly by setting up committees to look at the various safety recommendations and other operational glitches. He went further to introduce various IT applications to complement existing processes and systems. Down the line he manifested the traits of a typical minister, flying chartered flights sponsored by the agencies. He failed to address structural and personnel defects in the agencies, which was a cardinal point of his programme. He followed the trail by introducing and imposing family and friends on the agencies, and also promoting and confirming the inner circles that were handed over to him as untouchables. The unions rose and wrote against some of the appointments, but he got away with some, such as the recent and obviously very flawed recruitment exercise in FAAN. It is amazing that he asked the incoming government to implement the 2006 Paul Dike Committee Report, which he described as a solution to the mirage of problems in the sector. So our dear Chief, why did you allow the report to gather more dust while you were in office? He also asked the incoming government to go after the remodeling and transforming contractors who collected money and did not do their jobs and those that provided sub-standard material. These contractors had numerous meetings with the Minister during his eight month reign and at no point did he raise this issue. Rather, in tandem with the agencies they either sponsored his trips, chieftaincy ceremonies or other engagements tabled before them. He never asked for refunds, neither did he criticise job quality. He kept promising to source funds for the completion of the projects. He also canvassed the setting up of an airport management company to manage FAAN which is a good idea. Unfortunately, he did not work towards that throughout his tenure. He preferred to impose his cronies and aides on the agency. The master plan that was handed to him by Ms. Stella Oduah was jettisoned for an Aviation Commit programme that was equally jettisoned by those to implement it. Suddenly, he is asking for a master plan for the industry and a transparent aerotropolis project. The icing on the slippery floor is barely 48 hours old. He appeared on NTA decrying the appalling technical staffing in the Ministry and agencies under his watch. He canvassed that a 60/40 ratio would have been ideal. Chief, it is too late to cry. Just leave us, while we earnestly wait for the incoming administration to clear the industry mess and rot.