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  • Keyamo assures ICAO of audit compliance

    Keyamo assures ICAO of audit compliance

    Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, yesterday met with the visiting team of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Abuja.

    The ICAO team’s visit is predicated on the much-awaited audit of the airports and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority-NCCA for the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP).

    Keyamo  extolled the virtues and recognised the roles of ICAO USOAP in the international aviation industry,

    “Nigeria, no doubt, recognises the role of ICAO, which is aimed at constantly addressing and enhancing the global aviation safety through coordinated activities.

    Read Also: Ousted president pleads for help

    “It, therefore, gives me great honour that you are visiting Nigeria at this time when the nation just concluded a transition to a new government in the annals of our democracy,” Keyamo said.

    He said the accomplishment of the audit is a national responsibility and as such, has been the focus of the Federal Government.

    “Nigeria is fully aware that ensuring safe, secure, efficient and environmentally-friendly civil aviation system, with modern and adequate infrastructure require adequately funded autonomous Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and an Independent National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), together with well- established aviation service providers. 

    “In its bid to ensure continuous compliance with ICAO Standards and to meet the challenges of a rapidly growing air transport sector, Nigerian Government has continued to maintain and to reposition the industry for efficiency and the path of sustainable growth,” Keyamo said.

    Being his first working visit to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja the minister was led on a tour of several departments of the NCAA office by the Director General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Shuaibu Nuhu and he was also at the Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu-led Nigerian Meteorological Agency-NiMET where he was a guest presenter on Weather Forecast.

  • My appointment was not by mistake, says Keyamo

    My appointment was not by mistake, says Keyamo

    The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, has said his appointment to head the aviation ministry was not a mistake.

    He said he would continue to build on the aviation roadmap developed by the immediate past administration.

    Keyamo stated this while assuming office on Monday, August 21, in Abuja.

    He said: “My appointment by President Bola Tinubu was not by mistake. The president would have thought it well before appointing me.”

    On his plans for the sector, he said: “I have read the roadmap developed in 2016. I read it thoroughly and our intention is not to disrupt things that have been done so well, if there are things that have not been done so well, we will look at it thoroughly.

    “We may have to add to the roadmap but not pull it down totally because I know it was a product of a roundtable held in 2016, so it was well thought out and I like the structure that I saw.”

    Keyamo further said he intends to get briefings in the next few days and come up with proposals to develop the sector.

    He also stated that he has noted some items in the roadmap that needs to be improved upon.

    He added: “For me, my watchword is transparency. At every point, Nigerians must understand what we are doing and we must carry everyone along so that we don’t have some of the complaints we had in the past. We are serving the Nigerian people. Everything I do has always been to satisfy the Nigerian people.

    “We are going to move from very complex issues to simple issues that every Nigerian faces. They may not know the work we are doing behind in terms of safety, but usually, people appreciate what they see every day like the cleanliness of the environment, and how early they get their flight among others.”

    “At every point in time, we must put the people first. I intend to start getting briefings from the directors first, then agencies starting from tomorrow. The Permanent Secretary should draw a schedule up for the briefings.”

    Read Also: UPDATED: Senate screens Keyamo after apology over misconduct

    The permanent secretary, Emmanuel Meribole described the minister as somebody who is well grounded and result oriented.

    He also said his appointment as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace development was not a mistake but divinely arranged.

    He said the ministry is set to reposition the aviation sector through the aviation roadmap, assuring that the staff of the ministry are committed to giving the minister the needed support.

    Meribole also urged the minister to use his in-depth knowledge to address some litigation issues in the ministry

  • UPDATED: Tinubu swears in Wike, Keyamo, 43 others as ministers

    UPDATED: Tinubu swears in Wike, Keyamo, 43 others as ministers

    President Bola Tinubu on Monday, August 21, officially inaugurated his team of 45 ministers at the State House Conference Center, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The swearing-in process was carried out in nine separate batches, each consisting of several ministers.

    The first batch sworn in comprised the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State Gas in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, and Minister of Education Tahir Maman.

    The second batch included the coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of State (Oil), Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari.

    The third batch of ministers consisted of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, and Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh.

    Read Also: Tinubu reassigns Oyetola to Marine, Momoh to N/Delta

    The fourth batch of ministers comprised the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, Minister of Transportation, Alkali Sa’id, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite, and Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru.

    The fifth batch of ministers sworn in was the Minister of State Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo, Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mariya Mahmud, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu.

    The sixth batch of ministers included the Minister of State Education, Yusuf Sunumu, Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, and Minister of State Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim.

    The seventh batch of ministers was the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, Minister of State Environment, Ishak Salako, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.

    The eighth batch of ministers included Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Power, Adedayo Adelabu, Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesome Wike.

    The ninth batch of ministers consisted of the Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo, Minister of State for Steel Development, Maigari Ahmadu, Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, Minister of State for Defense, Bello Matawalle, and Minster of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs Zephaniah Jisalo.

    Some of those in attendance were Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House Representatives, Tajudeen Abass, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Kwara State Governor, Abdulaziz Abdulrahman.

  • Buhari never called for violence in Zamfara, says Keyamo

    The Director of Strategic Communications for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), has absolved President Muhammadu Buhari of inciting violence in Zamfara State.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Keyamo said: “Typical of the Peoploes Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku’s campaign team, they have continued in their favourite pastime of peddling falsehood, scaremongering and misinformation.

    “This time, the candidate of the main opposition himself, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, sensing a comprehensive defeat this Saturday and out of frustration, threw caution to the wind in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on February 11, when he alleged that President Buhari called for violence when he campaigned in Zamfara State.

    “Nothing can be farther from the truth. The Hausa word the President used in Zamfara, which has been taken out of context, is “fitna”. Incidentally, all our Hausa language scholars have said the word means different things: it means distress, trial, affliction or temptation. It can also be used to describe rebellion or uprising.

    “In this case, President Buhari was actually weighing in on the joke told very often of recent in the North that due to the rice boom, farmers have embarked on pilgrimage and the marrying of more wives.

    “So, what the President meant was actually a joke deliberately taken out of context: he simply told the crowd to ensure they eat very well because of the rice boom before they can contemplate giving in to those temptations.

    “Even in some private meetings with our campaign team, the President has always commented on this joke. Sadly, out of desperation, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has decided to peddle falsehood.

    “We urge Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to realise that it is God Almighty that gives power and takes power. He should not use his palpable desperation to return to power (in order to sell Nigeria to his ‘friends’ and make them rich) to set this nation ablaze by outright falsehood.”

     

     

  • Keyamo: why Nigerians must vote for Buhari

    The Director of Strategic Communications, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, said Nigerians must vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in next month’s election because he has delivered on his promises.

    Keyamo, who spoke at the launch of APC’s Next Level in Ghana, said the Buhari administration had surpassed expectations, as it awarded N58 billion contract for the dualisation of the Calabar-Itu Road, as well as the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    In a statement, Keyamo also listed the ongoing construction of the second Niger Bridge, the implementation of school feeding programme across Nigeria, employment of cooks and food suppliers, feeding millions of children daily, among others, as some of the achievements of President Buhari.

    He said under the PMB’s N-power, millions of unemployed graduates were paid N30,000 each every month, in addition to the prosecution of corrupt government officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The launch was chaired by the APC Ghana Chapter Chairman, Mr. Charles Micheletti, who urged Nigerians to re-elect President Buhari.

    At the event was the Personal Assistant to the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the President, Alhaji Yayah Ibrahim, among others.

  • Keyamo: why Nigerians must vote for Buhari

    The Director of Strategic Communications, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, said Nigerians must vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in next month’s election because he has delivered on his promises.

    Keyamo, who spoke at the launch of APC’s Next Level in Ghana, said the Buhari administration had surpassed expectations, as it awarded N58 billion contract for the dualisation of the Calabar-Itu Road, as well as the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    In a statement, Keyamo also listed the ongoing construction of the second Niger Bridge, the implementation of school feeding programme across Nigeria, employment of cooks and food suppliers, feeding millions of children daily, among others, as some of the achievements of President Buhari.

    Read also: How Amanda, Christabel were sold

    He said under the PMB’s N-power, millions of unemployed graduates were paid N30,000 each every month, in addition to the prosecution of corrupt government officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The launch was chaired by the APC Ghana Chapter Chairman, Mr. Charles Micheletti, who urged Nigerians to re-elect President Buhari.

    At the event was the Personal Assistant to the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the President, Alhaji Yayah Ibrahim, among others.

     

  • Keyamo: why Nigerians must vote for Buhari

    The Director of Strategic Communications, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, said Nigerians must vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in next month’s election because he has delivered on his promises.

    Keyamo, who spoke at the launch of APC’s Next Level in Ghana, said the Buhari administration had surpassed expectations, as it awarded N58 billion contract for the dualisation of the Calabar-Itu Road, as well as the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    In a statement, Keyamo also listed the ongoing construction of the second Niger Bridge, the implementation of school feeding programme across Nigeria, employment of cooks and food suppliers, feeding millions of children daily, among others, as some of the achievements of President Buhari.

    Read also: Buhari greets Keyamo at 49

    He said under the PMB’s N-power, millions of unemployed graduates were paid N30,000 each every month, in addition to the prosecution of corrupt government officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The launch was chaired by the APC Ghana Chapter Chairman, Mr. Charles Micheletti, who urged Nigerians to re-elect President Buhari.

    At the event was the Personal Assistant to the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the President, Alhaji Yayah Ibrahim, among others.

  • Keyamo: why Nigerians must vote for Buhari

    The Director of Strategic Communications, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, said Nigerians must vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in next month’s election because he has delivered on his promises.

    Keyamo, who spoke at the launch of APC’s Next Level in Ghana, said the Buhari administration had surpassed expectations, as it awarded N58 billion contract for the dualisation of the Calabar-Itu Road, as well as the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    In a statement, Keyamo also listed the ongoing construction of the second Niger Bridge, the implementation of school feeding programme across Nigeria, employment of cooks and food suppliers, feeding millions of children daily, among others, as some of the achievements of President Buhari.

    Read also: It was difficult working with ex-IGP Idris, says minister

    He said under the PMB’s N-power, millions of unemployed graduates were paid N30,000 each every month, in addition to the prosecution of corrupt government officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The launch was chaired by the APC Ghana Chapter Chairman, Mr. Charles Micheletti, who urged Nigerians to re-elect President Buhari.

    At the event was the Personal Assistant to the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the President, Alhaji Yayah Ibrahim, among others.

     

  • Buhari battling cheats to protect poor, says Keyamo

    Spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation Festus Keyamo (SAN) yesterday said the president is confronting the wheelers and dealers of the Nigerian society to protect the poor.

    He said those at the receiving end of the President’s actions are behind the blackmails and the fake news to discredit his government.

    Keyamo spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, while delivering a lecture organised by the Kwara state chapter of the Buhari/Osinbajo Project 2019.

    He added that President Buhari had taken the bullets from the rich to protect the poor in the last three years of his administration and urged the people to reciprocate the gesture.

    Keyamo said: “Some elements have accused us of not fulfilling our promises of making ‘Nigeria heaven on earth.’

    “But the ultimate end of any struggle is to establish a system that will make a deliberate effort to confront the wheelers and dealers of the society; to protect the poor, the vulnerable and the weak. I can tell you that there is no government in the history of this country since 1960 that has compensated the poor, the vulnerable in the last three years than this government.

    “There is no government that has gone after recovering what belongs to you with serious-mindedness more than this government in the last three years. I am sure you were all living witnesses to the humongous amount of money recovered in pit latrines, wardrobes, in villages, water tanks and even graveyards. Whilst this was going on, the blackmails, the fake new were so intense. What Buhari has done in the last three years was to take the bullet from the rich in order to protect the poor.

    “Previous governments sold our people out for political correctness. But Buhari refused. For six months they refused to pass the budget. He was looking at them, they were looking at him.

    “When they were tired, the same bad eggs who left us in this state were the champions of those forces. So you have a President who has fought for you, why can’t you fight for him. This is the time he needs you more to fight for him.  It is reciprocal and that is why we must remind ourselves today why we must stand firmly behind him.”

    Keyamo described those that defected as self-serving and having no interest in the masses.

    “Most of those bad eggs that left us complained of inclusiveness.

    “Inclusiveness is a euphemism for sharing formula. And that was the system of governance that was established before 2015; before President Buhari came on board.

    “Those bad eggs that have left us, rather than accept that we should invest money on infrastructure they would rather the money is shared among themselves, the system we had before 2015 was the one that denied physical infrastructure in this country.

  • Buhari protecting the poor, says Keyamo

    Spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation Festus Keyamo (SAN) said yesterday that the President was confronting wheelers and dealers of the society, to protect the poor, weak and vulnerable.

    He said this has given rise to blackmails and fake news to discredit the Federal Government.

    Keyamo, who spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at a lecture organised by the state chapter of the Buhari/Osinbajo Project

    2019, said the President had taken the bullets from the rich to protect the poor in the last three years, urging the people to reciprocate the gesture next year by re-electing him.

    He added: “Some elements have accused us of not fulfilling our promises of making ‘Nigeria heaven on earth.’

    But the ultimate of any struggle is to establish a system that will make an effort to confront the wheelers and dealers of the society. To protect the poor, the vulnerable and the weak. I can tell you that there is no government in the history of this country since 1960 that has compensated the poor, the vulnerable in the last three years than this government.

    “There is no government that has gone after recovering what belongs to you with serious-mindedness more than this government in the last three years. I am sure you were all living witnesses to the humongous amount of money recovered in pit latrines, wardrobes, in villages, water tanks and even graveyards. While this was going on, the blackmails, the fake news were so intense. What Buhari has done in the last three years was to take the bullet from the rich in order to protect the poor.

    “Previous governments sold our people out for political correctness. But Buhari refused. For six months they refused to pass the budget. He was looking at them, they were looking at him.

    “When they were tired, the same bad eggs, who left us in this state, were the champions of those forces. So you have a President who has fought for you, why can’t you fight for him. This is the time he needs you more to fight for him. It is reciprocal and that is why we must remind ourselves today why we must stand firmly behind him.”