The Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Olayinka Abioye, has described the recent revelation at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), alleging that some management staff defrauded the agency of N6.9 billion as a shame to the aviation industry.
Abioye also called on the Federal Government to extend its corruption search to other aviation agencies in the sector.
Speaking in an interview at the union’s headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport(MMA), Lagos, Abioye said that the unions especially NUATE had complained about corrupt practices in the agency in the past, but their complaints were treated with kid gloves by the government.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts at sanitising the nation including the economy, adding that this would serve as a deterrent to others.
Abelnews recalled that EFCC had on February 12, 2016 arrested and detained some management staff of NAMA including its Managing Director, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam Ibrahim for alleged fraud totaling N6.9 billion.
These officials were on Thursday, April 7,2016 arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos on a 21- count charge.
Abdusalam is charged alongside Nnamdi Udoh (still at large), Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche, Joy Ayodele Adegorite, Randville Invesment Ltd and Multeng Travels and Tours Ltd. They were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi.
Speaking further Abioye stated that aviation unions were happy with the current developments in the agency, but, lamented that since the arrest of Abdulsalam, there had been a lacuna in the system despite the appointment of an Acting Managing Director for the agency by the government.
According to him, “That situation brought shame to the nation’s aviation industry. The unions had complained of several infractions in the agency over the years, but, all our complaints were thrown back at us for lack of evidence. Even, when we provide the government with evidences they asked us for, they still don’t act”.
He continued, “We are happy at what is happening at NAMA, but there should not be a lacuna in the system. The government should bring in a substantive Managing Director for the agency. The Acting Managing Director is incompetent because he complained that his hands aid tied”.
He also alleged that most of the agencies in the sector are struggling to pay staff salaries due to several corruption practices in the system, adding that succession plan had collapsed totally in the sector in the past 10 years.
