Remarkable Accomplishments In Aviation, A Great Future
TheadministrationofPresident BolaAhmedTinubu was inaugurated on 29th May 2023. Mr Festus keyamo SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) was appointed Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development about three months after.
Since his appointment, the aviation industry has recorded a lot of positive changes. Consistent moves have been made by this administration to effect very positive transformation in the industry. InfrastructureDevelopment at our airports has been at the front burner of this administration.Thereareconsistentefforts toboost the Nigerianaviationindustry. MrKeyamonoted critical areas forimprovement inlinewith theyearningsandaspirationsof the travelling public. He tackles issues headlong and achieves results. His driving instinct has always been “for the comfort of the travelling public.”
President Tinubu inDecember2023, did an overhaul of heads of aviation agencies. The President appointed the first female Managing Director/Chief Executive for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Oluwaseun Kuku. Mrs. Kuku has since proven to be a square peg in a square hole. President Tinubu at the same Federal Executive Council meeting approved funds for Technical Support Services at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport valued at 4.1billion Naira.
This approval is to the effect that the Chinese company that built the new international terminal will maintain it’s facilities for the next five years. This is huge leap in the area of infrastructure maintenance and development. This approval mandates them to maintain the chillers, the air handling units, passenger boarding bridges, escalators at the concourse, remote boarding lifts that were made specifically for the physically challenged and all the other facilities they installed.
In November last year, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, approved the sumof3.2billion Naira for the procurement of modern scanners for use at the five international airports. This is a quantum leap in putting to an end the searching of passengers bags by hand by officers of government agencies that work at the airports.
The Hon. Minister, driven by the yearnings and complaints of Nigerians, made this presentation which the President honoured. This would ensure better quality service to the public without physical invasion into their privacy. Let detective machines do the job like in other developed countries.
On May 14,2024, the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Mr President, gave approval for the without of exemption of payment of tickets by some highly placed Nigerians at the nations airports. The directive was given to compel all users of the access gates to pay. This is laudable as this would have an enormous impact on revenue generated through these access gates.
Mr. Festus keyamo’s passion to make impact driven by his desire for the comfort of the travelling public moved him to tackle the structural defects in the new International terminal at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. Mr Keyamo ordered airlines to relocate into the terminal. The initial chaos orchestrated by the movement of airlines into the New International Terminal in it’s own way displayed the brilliance and resilient spirit of the young, female Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku who took it upon herself to ensure that passengers were not stressed by the process by physically controlling traffic now with her team of directors during peak periods. She was indeed excellent at it.
In February 2024, the Hon. Minister Inaugurated several committees to National Executive Safety Committee in compliance with the safety requirement of the International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO) Annex 19.
In his responsibility of oversight of air transportation, airport development, maintenance, provision of Aviation infrastructural services, this administration has really achieved a lot.
Mr Festus keyamo Inaugurated Ministry’s delivery task team which serves for the Aviation ministry and it’s agencies on implementation of presidential priorities and ministerial deliveries in an effort of fulfill the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
During their Inauguration, he charged the team to ensure that accurate data / information is imputed on the Ministerial Mandate Reporting Templates, which is being handled and tracked by the Central Delivery Coordination Unit ( CDCU) under the direct supervision of the special adviser to the president on policy and coordination.
Having critically looked through the activities of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR@1 in FAAN, one would say that this government is building structures that would support stability, sustainability and growth in the Nigerian aviation sector.
