Hours to the end of his administration, former President Muhammadu Buhari through the Ministry of Aviation, yesterday constituted the boards of aviation agencies.
This was coming eight years after the Federal Government ran the agencies without boards contrary to Acts establishing them.
The agencies include the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the recently created Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
Stakeholders had consistently criticised the former Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika for allegedly running the agencies without statutory boards.
Daily Trust reports that the boards were constituted in the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari but their inauguration was stalled because as was revealed at that time the composition of the boards was not in line with the Acts establishing the agencies. They were never replaced since then.
But the announcement of the boards was made yesterday morning as a new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was about to be inaugurated amidst mixed reactions from aviation stakeholders, the industry unions which persistently made a case for the boards to engender corporate governance in their management.
A statement signed by the Head of Press and Public Affairs in the Ministry, Odutayo Oluseyi indicated that NCAA is chaired by Mr. Lai Are with two institutional members representing Ministries of Aviation and Defence.
FAAN would be chaired by Capt. Fola Akinkuotu with five institutional members representing the Ministries of Aviation, Defence, Justice and Tourism and NCAT while Capt. Mukhtar Aminu and Mr. Chris Aligbe are members.
NAMA has Capt. Bashir Sodangi as Chairman with four institutional members representing Ministries of Aviation, Communications and Digital Economy, Transportation and Nigerian Air Force as well as two other members to represent public interest. They are Mr. Richard Aisuegbon and Suleiman Balarabe Ismail.
NSIB would be chaired by Engr. Ezekiel Danboyi Zang with six other members including Engr. Suraj Abdulwahab, Engr. Ita Awak, Mall. Nasiru Anas, Alhaji Sani Maida, Engr. Pantani Esugo and Lawrence Fubara Anga, SAN.
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Dr. Imoro Kubor is to chair the NiMet Board with four institutional members representing Ministries of Aviation, Agriculture and Natural, Resources, Environment and Transportation with Dr. Adebayo Yinka and Prof. Aliyu Umar Tambuwal as members.
And lastly NCAT would be chaired by Capt. Jonathan Ibrahim with institutional members which include Ministry of Aviation, NCAA, Nigeria's ICAO representative; Representative of the aviation sector, Engr. Bashir Saad; Hajia Binta Aminu Iya representing community; Representative of the College elected from the congregation who should be a non-teaching staff and the college registrar.
But General Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Comrade Rasaq Saidu said the last minute's board composition was a boobytrap for the new administration and the incoming Minister of Aviation.
He said, "There is nothing to cheer in any appointment, composition or activities of the Honourable Minister of Aviation (former) in the last two weeks.
