Barely a week before the end of the Buhari administration, the federal government at the weekend sacked the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt Rabiu Yadudu and immediately replaced him with Kabir Yusuf Mohammed.
It was gathered that Yadudu’s initial four-year tenure expires in a few week’s time and since the government wanted to give others a chance to head the agency, he was kicked out.
But prior to his successor’s elevation, Kabir Mohammed was the Regional General Manager, North Central of FAAN, with his office at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Sources who confirmed the development to Daily Sun said that Yadudu’s sack is the beginning of the gale of retrenchments expected to hit other aviation agencies this week.
The appointment of the new FAAN MD at the tail end of an administration came as a shocker to the aviation industry.
Capt. Yadudu was appointed FAAN MD four years ago.
His successor, Mohammed, comes with a requisite experience in the public service.
He worked at the Presidency, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (1992 -1994) – General Services Office and Ecological Fund Office.
He was at the State House, Office of the Head of State, Commander-in-Chief (Principal Secretary’s Office 1994 – 1998); Special Assistant to the Minister of Environment (1999); Special Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 2000; Personal Assistant to the Chairman, National Fertilizer Company of Nigeria, Port-Harcourt (2001); Personal Assistant to the Chairman, Frenchies Limited (2002); Personal Assistant to Chairman, A & Hatman Limited; Admin. Manager, Interlinks Insurance, Abuja and Admin.
He has attended the (ICAO/ACI) Courses on Air Transport Systems (Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies, Abu Dhabi); Airport Operations Safety and Security; Airport Commercial and Financial Management and Airport Planning, Development and Environmental Management. Airport Safety Management System Implementation at GMR Aviation Academy India. Attended the Airport Environment Management Course at GCAS Abu Dhabi, UAE in fulfilment of the requirement for the attainment of certification as an International Airport Professional.
He is an alumnus of the International Visitors Leadership Program of the United States Government in 2007 (Transparency and Good Governance). He has a diploma in Airport Executive Leadership ACI/Concordia University.
He also has a Certificate in Integrated Safety Management Systems from Singapore Aviation Academy.
He has a Management Certificate in Civil Aviation from ICAO/Concordia University comprising of a Certificate in Strategic Management, a Certificate in Human Resources and a Certificate in Business Strategy. He also has a certificate in Runway Safety Management (ACI); Certificate in Airport Business Operations (ACI). Other certificates include Airport User Charges, ACI, Panama.
Human Resources Management, IATA Singapore. Procurement and Financial Management, PSIN Abuja. Global Trends and their Impact on air transport, ACI/ICAO Montreal.
Also a gale of resignation of senior personnel has hit the apex civil aviation regulatory : Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The mass resignation, industry sources hinted, is predicated on underhand moves by the Ministry of Aviation to alter the rules to enable the controversial national carrier – Nigeria Air take – off before May 29, 2023.
The source hinted that the Ministry of Aviation is putting the NCAA under pressure to waive some aspects of regulation to see the controversial carrier airborne before the administration signs out in less than nine days.
Investigations by revealed that key personnel have thrown in the towel over pressure to be influenced to act in an unprofessional manner to issue approvals that will birth the controversial carrier.
The directorate , experts say, is key to issuing the relevant certificates – Air Operators’ Certificate ( AOC), that will qualify the controversial carrier to take – off.
Sources hinted that other key personnel in the Airworthiness Directorate will announce their resignation by Monday.
