TheCable

Hadi Sirika, minister of state for aviation, says there is no link between Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s visit to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and the current reorganisation of aviation agencies.

In a statement issued by James Odaudu, deputy director, press and public affairs, ministry of transportation, Sirika said the visit was to assess the state of facilities at the nation’s number one airport.

The federal government sacked nine directors at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), less than 24 hours after the visit of Osinbajo, but two directors were later recalled.

Government 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.

Sirika said a section of the media decided to establish a link between Osinbajo’s visit and the recent reorganisation of the aviation agencies.

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

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

“It was also to identify possible areas that needed the government’s immediate attention.

“It will be recalled that President Muhammadu 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 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.”