Jostle for minister, others' job begins - Over missing plane

From Shola Adekola and Taiwo Adisa - 24.03.2008

VARIOUS interest groups within and outside the aviation industry may have started jostling for the positions of the Minister of State for Air Transport, Felix Hassan Hyatt, and some chief executives of the aviation agencies.

The development has been attributed to the recent calls by members of the Senate Committee on Aviation for some chief executives to be sacked over the Beechcraft aircraft which took off from the Murtala Muhammed Airport but never got to its Bebi Airstrip at Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River State.

The Senate, last week at its plenary, adopted a motion which called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the aircraft.

Most of the senators at the session wanted sanctions against all aviation chiefs involved in the disappearance of the plane including Mr. Hyatt, who misinformed the nation on the status of the plane.

The Senate resolution was, however, to the effect that the Senate Committee on Aviation, headed by Senator Anyim Ude, should conduct a thorough investigation into the missing plane and report to the plenary as soon as possible.

If the finding of the committee is unfavourable, it is not unlikely that the Senate would recommend the minister as well as other aviation top officials for disengagement. This has precipitated jostling and scheming by interested parties for the positions that are likely to be thrown open.

According to investigations by the Nigerian Tribune, the most sought after position by the interested individuals is that of Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), currently held by Dr. Harold Demuren.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that those lobbying for the positions were doing so through their connections at the presidency even as they have engaged in blackmail and lies to get what they want.

The situation, which has sparked off a serious debate among aviation workers, has affected their morale in the belief that at the end of the confusion, if government should give in to these job seekers, it may draw back the hands of fortunes in the industry.