IBY
Peterside Rejoice Eneky
The National Assembly has issued a stern warning to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the repeated refusal of the Ministry’s agencies to honour invitations from lawmakers.
The warning was delivered on Wednesday during a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Aviation, convened to discuss the Ministry’s 2025 budget proposal.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator AbdulFatai Buhari (Oyo North), expressed displeasure at the lack of cooperation from the Ministry’s agencies, describing their actions as a disregard for the legislative arm of government.
He stressed that the National Assembly represents the interests of millions of Nigerians and should not be ignored by any government body.
“It is unfair for a government agency to ignore invitations from lawmakers who are the representatives of the people. Whenever we call, your agencies should respond promptly. We have the power to invite and to summon, and while we prefer not to resort to issuing summons, we will not hesitate to do so if this behavior continues,” Buhari stated.
This warning follows a motion presented by Senator Buhari on December 4, 2024, during a plenary session, where the Senate summoned Keyamo, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, airline operators, and other stakeholders. The motion sought to address the growing issue of frequent flight delays and cancellations by airline operators across the country.
Describing the situation as alarming, Senator Buhari noted that air travel is critical for business and time-sensitive engagements. “Unwarranted flight delays and cancellations are counterproductive to socio-economic growth,” he lamented.
At the joint committee Keyamo presented 2025 budget proposal totaling ₦71.1 billion.
The breakdown included ₦69.2 billion for capital projects, ₦1.1 billion for personnel costs, and ₦745.7 million for overhead expenses.
However, the committee rejected the proposal, citing a lack of detailed documentation on ongoing projects included in the budget.
The committee directed the Minister to provide comprehensive documents on the projects by next week, warning that the lack of transparency and responsiveness from the Ministry and its agencies could jeopardize their cooperation with the legislature.
Senator Buhari further urged the Minister to ensure better communication between the Ministry’s agencies and the National Assembly, adding, “Ignoring our calls and invitations is not only disrespectful but also detrimental to the public interest. Let this serve as a wake-up call before it escalates into a bigger issue.”
The session underscored the need for collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government to address pressing issues in the aviation sector, particularly the challenges facing airline operators and passengers.
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