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Tag: NIMET

  • NIMET predicts cloudy weather, localized rains

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has predicted cloudy weather conditions with localised rains in the country for Monday.

    This is contained in a Weather Outlook issued on Sunday in Abuja by NIMET’s Central Forecast Office (CFO).

    In the forecast, NIMET predicted that north central states will experience cloudy conditions, with chances of localised thunderstorms over Jalingo, Lafia, Yola and Abuja in the morning.

    It said places like Minna, Bida, Yelwa and Ilorin are expected to experience localised thunderstorms in the afternoon.

    NIMET also predicted that the northern states will experience cloudy conditions with chances of localised thunderstorms in the morning and afternoon over the region.

    “Cloudy conditions are expected in the southern coastal areas with chances of localised rains over Benin and Lagos axis in the morning.

    “Localised rains are expected over the region in the afternoon.

    “Cloudy conditions are expected in the inland area with chances of rains over the western cities in the morning.

    “Akure, Ado-Ekiti, Osogbo and the eastern cities are expected to experience rains in the afternoon,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the agency as saying in the outlook.

  • Much ado about planned merger of aviation agencies

    Much ado about planned merger of aviation agencies

    The proposed merger of three aviation agencies to form the  Federal Civil Aviation Authority ( FCAA), is generating ripples. The government insists the merger would reduce overhead costs, enhance efficiency  and streamline operations. But aviation unions , airline operators and other stakeholders argue that the proposal breaches  international  regulations.They say safety can be threatened if aeronautical services and civil aviation oversight are vested in one body, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

    Plans by the Federal Government to merge Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency ( NIMET)  to form  Federal Civil Aviation Authority ( FCAA), are being resisted by some stakeholders

    Leading the opposition are key stakeholders in the aviation sector, which  include aviation unions and airline operator  who continue to erect a road block against  the realisation of the merger plan. this is despite the many benefits adduced by government for the proposed merger .

    According to government,  merging the agencies would save costs and enhance personnel efficiency.Government explained that the resolve to merge the  agencies was the outcome of the white paper issued on the report of the Steve Oronsaye-led Presidential Committee on the Restructuring and Rationalisation of public parastatals, commissions and agencies.

    The overall objective of government to restructure commissions and agencies is to  achieve efficiency and  cut down on overhead costs.

    Speaking in a recent interview, the supervising minister of aviation, Dr Samuel Ortom said: “The Oronsaye  Committee, I believe, considered all options and consulted widely with the relevant stakeholders even in the aviation industry before making the recommendations.

    Government has also looked critically at the proposal and considered it in the interest of the sector to approve the proposal.

    The merger, I believe, will improve efficiency and reduce waste and overhead cost in the aviation sector. However, the President has set up an implementation committee to see to the merger process.

    I don’t believe the government would go all out to implement policies that would hurt the aviation industry. The government considers the aviation industry very critical to transforming the economy, thus it wouldn’t jeopardise that with aviation hurting polices.

    Let’s trust the government to do what is right. This government is a listening administration,  if at any point the government considers the merger detrimental, it wouldn’t hesitate to rescind its decision.”

    The Minister therefore, said government is going ahead to implement the recommendations of the Oronsaye committee report, a move which is now being resisted by aviation unions, airline operators and other stakeholders.

    The airline  operators and aviation unions argue that the proposed merger of the agencies contravenes the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the global civil aviation regulator .

    Some of them also argue that attempts by government to fuse the  three agencies would stunt the growth and development of the sector.

    Already, aviation  unions such as Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria ( ATSSSAN) National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE ) and National Association of Aircraft Pilot and Engineers ( NAAPE ) have put their members on  the alert in preparation for  strike should government go ahead to merger the agencies.

    The unions reason that their members could lose their jobs should government go ahead with the merger. This was why  the aviation workers vowed to resist the merger, arguing that it is not healthy for the industry.

    The unions affirm that allowing the merger to stand amounts to taking the aviation sector back. They argue that ICAO regulations prescribe that the provision of civil aviation regulations should be separated from air navigation services.

    A source in one of the affected agencies told The Nation that the security and safety implications of the merger may force government to jettison the proposed merger.

    The source hinted that three reports from the department of state services , two from Lagos and one from Abuja, indicated that the policy, no matter how lofty, may not augur well for the  aviation  sector because of its radical departure from standards and recommended practices of ICAO.

    Arising from the seriousness of the security reports, the Federal Givernment may have opened lines of communication with union members in the aviation sector.

    This, The nation learnt,  was sequel to  warning by aviation unions last month that the Federal Government might be sanctioned  by ICAO over the proposed merger of the agencies.

    Addressing reporters,  Spokesman of the unions, Comrade Benjamin Okewu, who is  also President of  ATSSSAN, said the planned merger of the agencies is in gross violation of international standards and regulations of ICAO.

    He said : ” We strongly support the current model that makes for the autonomy and independence of the NCAA and feel it should not in any way be diluted, as doing so would attract dire consequences from ICAO and the FAA.

    Why are we  in Nigeria reinventing the wheel ?

    The current model of allowing the agencies stand alone is acceptable worldwide and it is working perfectly well”

    While the unions recognise the prerogative of the Federal Government to restructure and consolidate its parastatals for whatever reasons, we are of the opinion that  government should have consulted widely on the issue and its consequences on the industry before taking the decision.

    We say boldly that whatever savings the federal government intends to achieve through this merger will definitely compromise safety which we all know is priceless. You cannot quantify the cost of safety and efficiency, neither can we mortgage safety on the platter of reducing cost.”

    He further said: “This subject was extensively discussed at the 38th session of the ICAO Assembly in Montreal, Canada and a resolution was passed with a directive to member states to endeavour through national legislation to separate civil aviation regulatory responsibilities from those of service providers.

    The resolution became necessary because ICAO recognizes that a potential conflict of interest exist where a single entity performs both functions.

    It is obvious here that the regulator  cannot regulate itself because there will definitely be conflict of interests.

    Why then would the Nigerian government make such a pronouncement having been part of the 38th ICAO assembly that took the referenced resolution? Out of the 197 contracting states, over 100 have CAA’s that are independent of other Service Providers.

    Other non compliant states are transiting into the ICAO recommended model. Even Ghana was in Nigeria to do a study to implement same in their country.”

    Okewu said  with the proposed merger, government is going back to an arrangement that existed over 20 years ago in the days of the defunct FCAA

    He said :” That system was found to be unprogressive, dysfunctional and unable to project adequately the safety oversight responsibility of the then FCAA and Consequently, the Federal government scraped the FCAA in 1996 .

    He wondered why such a draw-back decision would be taken by the Federal Government when the government is fully aware that Nigeria overwhelmingly enjoyed the support of the world during the last ICAO council  elections that produced Dr. O. B. Aliu, a Nigerian  as president of the council of ICAO. “Should we continue to move backward when every other country is moving forward?” he asked.

    The Airline Operators of Nigeria ( AON), also described the merger as unacceptable Its Executive Chairman, Captain Nogie Meggison, said the excercise  is at variance with ICAO regulation as contained in section 8335.

    He said fusing the agencies would violate the regulations of the global aviation body , which specifically prescribes the separation of provision of aviation services from civil aviation regulations by same organisation .

    He said over  110  countries   have complied with the separation of regulatory  functions  from  service provision by the same agency. He therefore, wondered why Nigeria should be taking steps backwards with the proposed merger of aviation agencies .

    He listed the countries that have implemented this principle to include: Germany, UK, France, Russia, Ireland, Canada, and  Ukraine .

    ” Autonomy for the air navigation services provider and its separation from the regulatory oversight function is well established in ICAO guidance material. It is not right to have the NCAA as a referee and a player at the same time.

    It is baffling that countries like South Africa and Ghana that came to Nigeria to understudy our independent agencies and how they operate in terms of  ICAO regulations  have gone back to their countries to  implement what they came to learn from us. Unfortunately, Nigeria is attempting to go back to the obsolete form.

    We know that government is trying to cut cost because of the recurrent expenditure  but these agencies  could be  self-sustaining without government funding for their operations.

    We therefore, implore the government  to take a second look at the recommendation because of the danger it portends to the industry at large.”

    The former Airport Commandant of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Group Captain John Ojikutu ( rtd), said whoever  advised government to merge NAMA and NIMET with NCAA did not do so with good intentions.

    The advisers, he said, probably forgot to include FAAN in the appropriation to further take us back to the era of self-regulator.

    ” Oronsaye  must have been wrongly briefed by some egg heads. How do you merge operators of the industry with the regulator?” he asked.

    Instead, Ojikutu said :” We should get the private operators to invest more on the industry or commercialise government  operators like FAAN and NAMA as recommended in the privatisation and commercialisation Act of 2000, government instead is appropriating the industry to itself alone.”

    General Secretary, Nigerian Aviation Professional Association (NAPA), Comrade Abdul Rasaq Saidu described the decision as unpopular .

    He said government is only attempting to re- invent the wheel, because attempts in the past to merge aviation agenciesdid not achieve the desired result .

    “it didn’t work under the former Minister, Retired Air Marshal Nsika Eduok; it was practised and it failed. Secondly, the recommendation of Steve Oronsaye cannot work in aviation industry because Nigerian aviation is regulated globally by ICAO,” he  pointed out.

    President of Aviation Round Table , Captain Dele Ore, described it as one of the steps proposed by government to derail the development of the aviation sector. His words: “What the government is planning is wrong, it will take us back to the 1995 era and whether we like it or not, I give them two years, they will return back again.”

    “You don’t merge a regulatory body with a service provider, NAMA and NIMET are service providers, you cannot merge them with NCAA which is a regulatory body,.This is at variance with international laws laid  down by ICAO and other relevant international bodies.

    “Who are the experts that did the report? did they even give consideration to international convention and international best practices? Those are the questions to ask and whatever they do may be a big slap to our face,” he added.

    He said the decision should be jettisoned.

    Ore said :” Government has however, accepted this ridiculous state of affairs. To avoid any further embarrassment, the  proposed merger should not be allowed to materialize. This is another wrong decision by the government and it should be rescinded immediately. We cannot be seen to be working at cross-purposes to ICAO’s international standards.”

    He further said that It would not matter what kind of amendment is anticipated in the establishment Acts of the affected parastatals, Nigeria will be in violation of international best practices.

    According to him, “Section 30 of the Civil Aviation Act (2006) is very explicit and no matter how we manipulate that Act, the new FCAA will no longer be able to regulate the making of signals and other communication by or to aircraft and persons carried in aircraft. The new FCAA will no longer be able to regulate air traffic control and meteorological services. The new FCAA cannot be a regulator  as well as  a service provider.

    “This whole exercise was done without wide consultation with the industry and the government was misinformed and misadvised by the so-called professionals to serve their own selfish end,” Capt. Ore said.

    Will the position of of experts like Ore and those of the aviation unions, airline opereators, and stakeholders hit the right chord in the ears of government? That is the big question, which only time will answer.

  • Security reports fault merger of NCAA, NAMA, NIMET

    SECURITY reports have faulted the planned merger of three aviation agencies by the Federal Government, The Nation has gathered.

    The reports, sources said, warned that the planned merger of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),  Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) to become the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA) could have adverse effect in the industry.

    The observation, it was learnt, could force the government to jettison the planned merger.

    A source hinted that reports from security agencies in Lagos and Abuja, indicated that the planned merger, no matter how well intentioned, may not augur well for the   sector because it would breach standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

    In view of this, the government may have opened communications with aviation unions, opposed to the merger.

    The unions said the merger would amount to taking the  sector back. They argued that ICAO regulations prescribe that civil aviation regulations should be separated from air navigation.

    Last month,  the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers  (NAAPE), and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria ( ATSSSAN),  warned that the government might be sanctioned by ICAO if it merges  the three outfits.

    A spokesman of the unions, Comrade Benjamin Okewu, who is the president of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), said the planned merger violates ICAO rules.

    “We strongly support the model that makes for the autonomy and independence of the NCAA and feels it should not in any way be diluted, as doing so would attract dire consequences from ICAO and the FAA.’’

    Last month, Supervising Minister of Aviation, Dr Samuel Ortom, told reporters in Lagos that the government has considered all options to implement the planned merger.

    Ortom said: “The Steve Oronsaye Committee, I believe considered all options and consulted widely with the relevant stakeholders in the aviation sector  before making the recommendations.

    “Government has also looked critically at the proposal and considered it in the interest  of the sector to approve the proposal.

    “The merger I believe will improve efficiency  and reduce waste and overhead cost in the aviation sector.”

    He continued: However, the president has set up an  implementation committee to see to the merger  process. I do not believe the government would go all out to implement policies that would hurt the aviation industry.

    “The government considers the aviation industry very critical  to transforming the economy, thus it would not jeopardise that with hurting policies.

    “Let us trust the government to do what is right. This government is a listening one, if at any point the government considers the merger detrimental, it would not hesitate to rescind its decision.”

  • Expert advocates scrapping of ministry

    To cut administration costs, the Federation Government has been urged to scrap the Ministry of Aviation.
    The Director of Research at Zenith Travels, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, who gave the advice, also urged the government to cut the number of directorates and management staff at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
    He contended that instead of implementing the Steven Oronsaye report, which recommended the merger of the NCAA, NAMA and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), the government should borrow a leaf from developed countries that merged their ministry of aviation with transport.
    He said: “If the government is sincere about driving the cost of governance down, it should scrap the ministry of aviation with immediate effect. We can effectively operate without a standalone ministry. What we get from the ministry is signing of unfavorable bilateral air services agreements (BASA) that are detrimental to our carriers, impulsive interference in the day-to-day administration of the agencies, insatiable appetite for spending BASA funds and coercing agencies to pay for chartered flights and other services.
    “NAMA is a provider of air navigation services, which is done at a fee to local and international airlines. Government should reduce the number of directorates and top management staff, which grew astronomically under the last chief executive officer without commensurate level of service and revenue generation. The organisation should make efforts to recoup funds owed by local carriers.
    “NCAA is the regulator and backbone of the industry.We must put our best foot forward and be bold enough to engage foreign technical assistance, if need be. It is advisable to advertise openings and recruitments for able and competent hands, rather than politicise employment. The organisation’s organogram is skewed and inappropriately placed due to the political employment witnessed in the last two years,” he said.

  • Don’t merge NCAA, NAMA, NIMET, experts warn govt

    Don’t merge NCAA, NAMA, NIMET, experts warn govt

    The battle line seems to have been drawn between the Federal Government and stakeholders over the merger of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) as the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA). They are asking the government to reverse a decision which it has raised a committee to implement. KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

     

    Barring any last-minute hitch, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA), and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency ( NIMET), will this week become the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA) following their merger.

    The proposal to merge the three aviation agencies follows the white paper issued by government on the report of the Steven Oronsaye led presidential committee on the restructuring and rationalisation of public parastatals , commissions and agencies.

    But as the committee set up by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, gets set to implement the policy, all is not well.

    Stakeholders are asking the government to reverse the merger or face its wrath.

    They say the merger negates the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which prescribed the separation of the operations of service providers from that of a regulatory agency.

    In 1999, agencies under FCAA, were unbundled to create the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), NAMA, NCAA, and NIMET.

    According to experts, of the 197 member-states of ICAO, 110 have separated their agencies to avoid collision between service provision and regulation.

    “Separation of provision from regulation is consistent with principles of good governance, the regulatory oversight function must be seen as independent and transparent,” ICAO said.

    Over 110 have complied with this principle and have moved on with the separation.

    Germany, United Kingdom (UK), France, Russia, Ireland, Canada, Ukraine to mention a few are some of the 110 countries that have implemented this resolution.

    Autonomy for the air navigation services provider and its separation from the regulatory oversight function is well established in ICAO guidance material.

    The Executive Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Nogie Meggison, said the merger of the agencies is another attempt by the government to thwart the growth and development of the sector.

    Meggison said the domestic airlines’ body is opposed to the merger because it is at variance with prescribed international regulations, part of which it is a signatory.

    He said: “The airline operators under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) disagrees with the Federal Government on the plan to collapse three agencies (NAMA, NCAA and NIMET) into one.The decision is against the ICAO regulation in Section 8335.

    “It is not right to have the NCAA as the referee and the player at the same time. NCAA has been established in compliance with ICAO set standards and practices .

    “We believe information that was given to the committee set up in 2011 to make that decision is obviously obsolete as per ICAO regulation.

    “It is baffling that countries, such as South Africa and Ghana, came to Nigeria to learn about our independent agencies and how they run as per ICAO regulations have gone back to their countries to implement what they came to learn from us. Unfortunately, Nigeria is attempting to go back to the obsolete form.

    “It will appear as if Nigeria was doing everything to fail the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) category one aviation inspection.

    “We know that the government is trying to cut costs because of the recurrent expenditure, but these agencies could be self-sustaining without government funding for their operations.

    “We, therefore, implore the government to take a second look at the recommendation because of the danger it portends to the industry at large.”

    Aviation watchdog, Aviation Round Table (ART), has kicked against the merger of three agencies.

    It said the plan was another wrong decision by the government.

    ART noted that the planned merger should not be allowed to see the light of the day.

    In a statement by Capt. Dele Ore, president and Sam Owolabi-Akerele, ART said: “ The merging of NCAA, NIMET and NAMA to form an agency of aviation is another ridiculous state of affairs for the aviation sector .

    “To avoid any further embarrassment, the contemplated merger should not materialise.

    “Once again, we have retrogressed into the 1995 era. This is another wrong decision by the government and it should be rescinded immediately.

    “Nigeria should not at this time, be seen to be working at cross-purposes to ICAO’s international standards.

    “It would not matter what kind of amendment is anticipated into the establishment Acts of the affected parastatals, Nigeria will be in violation of international best practices. This will be another ridicule to which this country will now be exposed to.

    “Section 30 of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 is explicit and no matter how we manipulate that Act.

    “The new FCAA will no longer be able to regulate air traffic control and meteorological services. The new FCAA cannot be a regulator as well as being a service provider.

    “This exercise was done without wide consultation with the industry and the government was misinformed and misadvised by so-called professionals to serve the own selfish end.”

    Also, Secretary-General, Nigerian Aviation Professionals Association ( NAPA), Comrade Adbulrasaq Siedu, described the merger as anti-development.

    Rather than succumb to the proposal for the merger of agencies, Siedu called on the Federal Government to scrap the Ministry of Aviation.

    He said the Ministry is not adding any value to the sector.

    Siedu said any attempt by the government to implement the approval would erode the gains so far achieved in the sector.

    Siedu continued: “We are part of the stakeholders and cannot fold our hands, close our mouths to allow the destabilisation of the past gains in the sector to be wished away unchecked.

    “It will be suicidal for Nigeria to decide to go back to a system which was tried and failed due to lack of compliance with ICAO practices and set standard.

    “We submit with all seriousness and act of patriotism, to strongly advise President Goodluck Jonathan to scrap the Ministry of Aviation and to allow NCAA to function without any hindrance as this shall be the solution to Aviation unabated logjams.

    “The functions of the Ministry of Aviation do not add value to the parastatals rather, it compound problems.

    “We call on President Goodluck Jonathan to stop the proposed merger as this is not the best way to sustain category one.”

    He advised: “Do not merge NCAA, NAMA and NIMET together but let them statutorily function under the supervision and regulation of NCAA in terms of safety critical issues and the sustenance of category one .”

    Besides, Managing Director, Finum Aviation Services, Kyari Sheri, said the merging was wrong, which must not be allowed to stand. “I think it is one thing that the government should try as much as possible to reverse as quickly as possible. What is on ground is an international practice so Nigeria should not begin to drag us back to what we used to be in those days.

    “In terms of safety, there is no way an organisation can regulate itself and it is not just possible.”

    Meanwhile, some aviation unions and professionals association in a statement in Lagos last week said the merger of the agencies would not stand.

    Speaking for the unions, Comrade Abdulkareem Motajo, general secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Captain Tarnongu, deputy general secretary, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and Comrade Ocheme Aba, general secretary, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers ( NAAPE), said the merger would fail.

    The unions said: “Having critically considered this development, we have come to the conclusion that this decision is highly in error, retrogressive and devoid of wise counsel.

    “We are, therefore, of the opinion that anyone involved with the aviation development in Nigeria will agree that the implementation of this merger plan would reverse all the progress made over the years and take Nigeria back more than two decades. Surely, this cannot be the desire of government.

    “As patriotic Nigerians, we believe that the government must have been misled into accepting the Oronsanye recommendation which would make Nigeria a laughing stock of the international community and bring her into disrepute on matters of maintenance of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as well as international best practices.

    “The intended merger of these agencies should, therefore, be stepped down immediately and allowed to remain as they are, which is in conformity with ICAO minimum standards.

    “We wish to state most profoundly that if safety and security of the Nigerian airspace is uppermost in our minds, we should discard the merger exercise and allow the aviation agencies to function optimally in accordance with their enabling laws.

    “The intended merger if sustained will return Nigeria to the era of self regulation which portends danger to Aviation Safety and the healthy and orderly development of Aviation in Nigeria.

    “This is the stand of the aviation workers, unions and professional associations.”

    Also, an aviation security expert, Group Captain John Ojikutu ( rtd), said the proposed merger is another disservice to the growth of the industry.

    He said in Lagos: ”Oronsaye must have been wrongly briefed by some egg heads. How do you merge operators of the industry with the regulator? This merger completes what Oduah started – bring the industry under the jack boot of the government. Must the government drive the policy, regulate and operate the industry? We must be in a world of our own and out of the earth planet.”

    Instead, Ojikutu added: “We should get the private operators to invest more on the industry or commercialise government operators, such as FAAN and NAMA as recommended in the privatisation and commercialisation Act of 2000, the government instead is appropriating the industry to itself alone.”

  • Aviation Round Table kicks against merger of NCAA, NIMET, NAMA

    Aviation watchdog, Aviation Round Table (ART), has kicked against the merger of three agencies – Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

    It said the plan was another wrong decision by the government.

    ART noted that the planned merger should not be allowed to see the light of the day.

    In a statement by Capt. Dele Ore, President and Sam Owolabi-Akerele, ART said: “The Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies, headed by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Mr. Steve Oronsanye recommended the merging of NCAA, NIMET and NAMA to form a single agency of aviation. The government has however accepted this ridiculous state of affairs. To avoid any further embarrassment, the contemplated merger should not be materialized.

    “Once again, we have retrogressed into the 1995 era. This is another wrong decision by the government and it should be rescinded immediately. Nigeria should not at this time, when a Nigerian is the President of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); we cannot be seen to be working at cross-purposes to ICAO’s international standards.

    “It would not matter what kind of amendment is anticipated into the establishment Acts of the affected parastatals, Nigeria will be in violation of international best practices. This will be another ridicule to which this country will now be exposed to.

    “Section 30 of the Civil Aviation Act (2006) is very explicit and no matter how we manipulate that Act, the new FCAA will no longer be able to regulate the making of signals and other communication by or to aircraft and persons carried in aircraft. The new FCAA will no longer be able to regulate air traffic control and meteorological services. The new FCAA cannot be a Regulator as well as being a service provider.

    “This whole exercise was done without wide consultation with the industry and the government was misinformed and misadvised by so-called professionals to serve the own selfish end.”

  • Govt merges three aviation agencies

    Govt merges three aviation agencies

    •EFCC/ICPC merger rejected
    Two government agencies – the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) – have been scrapped.

    Three aviation agencies have been merged into one in the Federal Government’s efforts to streamline its finances. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) are now to be known as the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA). Their enabling laws will be amended to reflect the merger.

    These are the highlights of the Federal Government’s White Paper on the report of the Steve Oronsaye Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.

    The 105-page document dated March, 2014 was made public yesterday.

    Oronsaye, a former Head of Service of the Federation, submitted the report of his panel to the government on April 16, 2012. It was referred to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, before the White Paper was released yesterday.

    In all, the panel recommended the scrapping or merger of 270 government agencies. Some of the agencies have been approved for commercialisation and privatisation.

    The government rejected the the merger of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). The government also rejected the renaming of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to Anti-Corruption Tribunal.

    But, it accepted that “the trio of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency be merged into a new body to be known as the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA) and their respective enabling laws be amended accordingly to reflect the merger.”

    It also accepted that the enabling law of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology be amended and the college restructured.

    While maintaining that JAMB should continue to exist as the central examination body for admissions into Nigerian universities, it directs that JAMB must play its regulatory role to ensure that all students for undergraduate admissions into Nigerian universities, including direct entries, must pass through JAMB.

    The government accepted the recommendation that the Bill seeking for the establishment of NEPAD as an agency of the Federal Government be withdrawn from the National Assembly as there are already laws relating to most of the activities being performed by NEPAD.

    Accepting that the Utilities Charges Commission be abolished and its enabling law repealed, it directed that the process be initiated by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

    It accepted the recommendation that the National Agricultural Insurance Corporation be fully commercialised and also accepted the recommendation that the passed bill on the Nigeria Agriculture Quarantine Service should not be assented to by the President.

    The government also accepted that the practice whereby certain categories of retirees are opting out of contributory pension scheme be stopped, stating that only the military may withdraw from the scheme.

    The Veterinary Research Council of Nigeria is to be self-funding. Further budgetary allocation to the council should cease forthwith, the government said. It also accepted partial commercialisation of the Nigerian Postal Agency (NIPOST).

    Government shares in NIGCOMSAT are to be sold. The government will retain minority shares. The government also accepted that the functions of NIGCOMSAT that relates to space development be reverted to the National Space Development Agency.

    The Nigerian Institute for Education Planners and Administrators (NIEPA) will be merged with the National Teachers Institute (NTI).

    The Nigerian Film Corporation will be commercialised from the 2013 fiscal year – with the government seed funding. The government accepted that all offices of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies outside Lagos and Abuja be closed down immediately to ensure judicious use of available resources in line with government policy.

    The government accepted that the National Council of Arts and Culture be merged with the National Troupe and the National Theatre into one agency called National Council of Arts and Culture.

    The Federal Government also accepted that the Nigerian Financial Reporting Council ceases to be funded by the government from 2015. It also accepted that the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) be self-funding from 2014.

    The allegation made by the National Boundaries Commission against the office of the Surveyor General of the Federation over the funding of two non-existent boundary demarcation will be properly investigated.

    The government accepted the management audit of the National Institute for Sports (NIS).

    But it rejected the recommendation for an amendment in name and status of the Federal Civil Service Commission to the Federal Public Service Commission. The recommendation for a single term of five years for the chairman and members of the commission was accepted.

    Accepting the recommendation for the scrapping of Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), the government also directed the AGF to initiate action for the abolition.

    It directed that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) should perform the function of the FRC.

    The government accepted the recommendation that the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission’s enabling law be repealed and the functions of the commission subsumed under the RMAFC.

    But the recommendation that Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) be subsumed under the Bureau of Public Enterprises for greater synergy, was rejected.

    Also rejected is the recommendation of the merger of NTA, FRCN and VON into one body to be known as Federal Corporation Broadcasting of Nigeria (FCBN).

    But NTA will be fully commercialised.

    Rejecting the recommendation for the abolition of the Federal Character Commission, the government said that the commission should be strengthened to perform its constitutional role and functions.

    It rejected the recommendation that the law establishing the Border Communities Development Agency be repealed and its functions reverted to the National Boundary Commission.

    The government rejected the recommendation that it should stop funding current expenditure of National Institute on Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) from the 2015 and limit itself to certain essential capital requirement of the institute.

    The merger of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Refugees Commission into one agency to be known as the National Emergency Management and Refugees Commission, was rejected. The government also rejected the recommendation for the Debt Management Office (DMO) to become an extra ministerial department in the Federal Ministry of Finance and delisted from the office of the Vice President.

    It rejected the recommendation that the Act setting up the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) be repealed and also rejected that the Road Safety Commission (FRSC) be reverted to the Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works.

    The government also shunned the recommendation that the enabling law of the National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS be repealed just as it disagree that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission be abolished and their functions transferred to a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Besides, the government will not stop sponsoring pilgrims and pilgrimages.

    It also rejected the privatisation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigerian (FAAN) – in view of the security situation.

    “Government rejects that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the regulatory functions of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST)) be brought together under a unified management structure to be known as the Communications Regulatory Authority of Nigeria,” the white paper said.

     

    Also rejected is the recommendation that the Act establishing the National Examinations Council (NECO) be repealed and the Council’s activities returned to the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

    The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NEDRC) will not be scrapped. Besides, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) will not be merged to form a single agency for wealth creation.

    The government disagree that the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council be scrapped.

    It rejected the scrapping of the Energy Commission of Nigeria and also the recommendation that that the National Sports Commission (NSC) should revert to the proposed Ministry of Youth and Sports Development as an agency.

  • Accurate weather report can prevent air crash, says NIMET boss

    Accurate weather report can prevent air crash, says NIMET boss

    Air crashes can be prevented through accurate weather report, Director-General of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) Dr Anthony Anuforum, has said.

    Besides, the installation of critical safety weather detecting equipment, including low level wind shear alerting system at airports, can also help to prevent air mishaps, he said.

    Towards this end, the agency has installed nine low level wind shear alerting system at the Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu , Ilorin, Benin and Akure airports. Anuforom said NIMET has concluded plans to install similar gadgets at the Calabar Airport, which will bring to 10 the number of airports where the technology is in use.

    On the cost of equipment installed at the airports, he said: “It is difficult to give these numbers off-hand so I don’t misinform anybody. What is important is that government is supporting us financially. I give you an idea, One typical wind shear alert information system costs anywhere between N150 and N180 million each. That gives you an idea of the kind of investment that is required.

    “I don’t want to talk about the Doppler weather radar. It is a sophisticated piece of equipment. So it costs quite some money. That I can tell you, but I cannot give you now the total figure that we have invested.

    He said the installation of the equipment became imperative because low level wind shear contributed to the Sosoliso and ADC Airlines crashes in 2005 and 2006.

    His said: “These were crashes in the recent times that wind shear had been identified as having a finger print in it. So since then, and based on recommendations from the Accident Investigation and Prevent Bureau (AIPB), government swung into action to provide funding to now equip more Nigerian airports with Low Level Wind Shear alert system.

    “Prior to that ADC crash in 2006, there was no single wind shear alert system in any Nigerian airport. That is the truth. But after that and based on the recommendation of AIPB, the first wind shear alert system was installed at the Abuja airport. It was also part of the Safe Tower Project.

    “Wind shear alert system is not a chep technology. It costs quite some money to install one, and of course, we had budgetary constraints. But the happy news is that presently, we have equipped nine airports in Nigeria with wind shear alert system. The tenth wind shear alert system is being installed at the Calabar Airport. The contractor is on site doing the installation.”

    NIMET could perform its role better as a weather forecasting agency if government provides more funding to support its operations beyond the revenue it generates.

    Anuforom said: “We cannot continue to go to government for money because the resources are getting thinner and thinner.

    “So part of what we are doing is that we are working towards greater sustainability, greater self-reliance; not that you can dispense of government completely.

    “There is nowhere in the world, even in the UK, government still gives the meteorology agency some funding. They also work hard to generate their own funding.”

    He said NIMET plans to increase its revenue base through development of a new business model.

    Anuforom said :” Talking about revenue, we are targeting non aeronautical sources now. The maritime sector, can you imagine the number of ships that come in and out of Nigerian ports and the tonnage .

    They need our weather information. So part of what we are doing in our new realignment is to develop commercial quality meteorological weather forecast both aeronautical and maritime sector.

    “We are doing that. We have recently entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Administration Agency (NIMASA).

    “We have also signed impact plan and realignment and gone into collaboration with the UK Met Office. The UK Met Office is a good example of a well-developed, modern meteorological service provider.

    When we studied their business model it was clear to us that that was a good advanced met office to copy, to emulate because their business model is that they have succeeded in reducing over dependence on government and we want over time to be able to diversify our services to an extent that our dependence for funding will be drastically reduced.”

  • New MDs for FAAN, NCAA, NAMA, NCAT

    New MDs for FAAN, NCAA, NAMA, NCAT

    Massive shake-up hit aviation agencies yesterday – three weeks after Princess Stella Oduah was removed as minister.

    The sudden sack gale provoked mixed feelings at the headquarters of the agencies in Lagos.

    A statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, said President Goodluck Jonathan approved the reorganisation.

    Only Dr. Tony Anuforo retained his position as Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

    The statement by Sam Nwaobasi, Special Assistant (Media) to the SGF, said: “Mr. Saleh Dumona (Director Projects, FAAN) is to replace Mr. George Uriesi as Managing-Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    “Mr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam (General Manager, Procurements (NAMA) is to replace Mr. Nnamdi Udoh as Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

    “Capt. Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick (Government Safety Inspector & ICAO Focal Point for Nigeria on line Aircraft Safety Information Systems, OASIS) is to replace Capt. (Mrs.) Chinyere Kalu as Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).

    “Capt. Muhktar Usman (Commissioner, Accident Investigation & Prevention Bureau, AIPB) is to replace Capt. Fola C. Akinkuotu as Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), subject to confirmation by the Senate.

    “Mr. Benedict Adeyileka is to act as DG, NCAA, pending his confirmation by the Senate.

    Dr. Felix A. Abali (Director Licencing, NCAA) is to replace Capt. Muhktar Usman as Commissioner, Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIPB).”

    The sack of the NCAA director general is coming on the heels of plans by the government to undergo the re-certification of Nigeria’s safety rating for Category One status.

    The United States (U.S.) team to carry out the audit will arrive in Nigeria this month.

    Nigeria attained Category One on September 18, 2010.

    Part of the requirements of the re-assessment is: certification of major international airports, the operations of aviation agencies, including airspace authority, aviation training college and the meteorological agency.

    The recertification is part of the processes to revalidate the highest civil aviation rating, which ensures that Nigeria is in line with updated standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

    Aviation stakeholders expressed mixed reactions over the sack of heads of the agencies. They described removal of the NCAA DG as “controversial”.

    Mr. Sheri Kyari, executive director of the Centre for Aviation Safety and Research, said the industry would require time to recover from the restructuring.

    Captain Dele Ore, president of Aviation RoundTable, said he could not comment because no reason was given for the removal of the director general of the NCAA.

    Other players in the sector, who declined to give their names, said frequent changes of leadership could have some negative impact on the industry.

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Act (2006) specifies conditions under which the NCAA DG could be removed from office.

    It states: “There shall be for the Authority a Director-General who shall be appointed by the President, on such terms and conditions as stipulated in the Act, subject to the confirmation by the Senate.

    “The Director–General shall be primarily responsible for the fostering of the safety of Civil Aviation in Nigeria and shall be the chief executive and accounting officer of the Authority responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Authority.

    “He shall be appointed for a term of five years in the first instance and may be reappointed for a further term of five years and no more.

    “A person who possesses relevant and adequate professional qualification and shall have been so qualified for a period of not less than 15 years.

    “The Director-General may be suspended or removed from office by the president if he has demonstrated inability to effectively perform the duties of his office.

    “If has been absent from 5 (five) consecutive meetings of the Board without the consent of the Chairman, unless he shows good reasons for such absence.”

    “If he is guilty of serious misconduct in relation to his duties as Director-General.

    The condition also states that in the case of a person possessed of professional qualifications, he could be removed if he is disqualified or suspended from practising his profession in any part of the world by an order of a competent authority.

    “Or he is guilty of a conflict of interest as stipulated in Section 10 of this Act.

    “The Director-General shall not be removed from office except in accordance with the provisions of this Act.”

     

  • 2014: NIMET predicts shorter rainfall

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) has predicted shorter rainfall this year.

    The Seasonal Rainfall Prediction report was made public in Abuja yesterday.

    The NiMET seasonal report also predicted extension of dry season beyond the usual areas.

    Farmers have, therefore, been advised to plant early maturing crops to avoid losing all their investment as they may be caught unawares because of the irregularities of the weather.

    The Supervising Minister of Aviation, Dr. Samuel Ortom, urged Nigerians to heed to the predictions made available by the agency.