The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has denied procuring a vehicle worth N250 million for its Acting Director-General, Captain Chris Najomo,
without due process.
Spokesman for the Authority, and Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Directorate, Mr. Michael Achimugu denied the allegation on Tuesday.
NaijaOnPoint.com.ng (NOP) reports the Daily Nigerian had released an investigation on the illegal purchase by the NCAA.
However, Achimugu said the report was not only fabricated, baseless and untrue, but also a figment of the imagination of the Daily Nigerian reporter, who failed to do due diligence on his ‘investigative story.’
Achimugu, while addressing the press at the NCAA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, April 29,2024, stated that the Ag. DGCA has not purchased any vehicle since he assumed office in December, 2023.
He promised to resign his appointment as Director and “advise the Ag. DGCA” to do the same if the Daily Nigerian can provide proof of purchase, mulling a likely legal action against the medium and the reporter for publishing falsehood.
“NCAA has not paid any amount of money for any vehicle in the world since Captain Najomo came into office and I challenge the writer to present evidence and I will tender my resignation immediately and not only that I will ask the DG to do the same as well,” he emphasised.
The NCAA mouthpiece further stated that Captain Najomo has no operational vehicle since assumption of office, as the suspended DGCA, Capt. Musa Nuhu left with the vehicles in his custody, adding that the Ag. DGCA has not bought operational vehicles for the Directors of the Authority either.
Achimugu disclosed that the Authority’s helmsman chose to prioritize staff welfare over and above personal comfort, as demonstrated in the payment of overdue staff entitlements and the promotion of stagnated staff of the Authority.
On the alleged approval of N1b for staff training, Achimugu clarified that the payments made were in respect of training in the 2023 calendar year.
He explained that the foreign training component has not taken place because of the embargo on foreign travels by the Federal Government (FG), and assured that the foreign training will commence at the expiration of the embargo.
Concerning the blocked funds by the FG, Achimugu explained that the situation was not peculiar to the NCAA, but that several agencies of government are experiencing the same thing, adding that in spite of the new Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy and the 50 percent upfront deductions by the FG, NCAA has not stopped remitting funds into the TSA account.
Achimugu stated that Captain Najomo runs an open door policy, therefore, rather than writing baseless and malicious reports aimed at tarnishing the good image of the NCAA, media practitioners should always seek clarification from the Authority before going to press.
In the course of the media parley, the Director enumerated a long list of achievements recorded by Captain Najomo within his four months in office.
Topping the list are staff welfare, training and re-training, re-orientation of staff, simplification of the certification and licensing process, granting of new Air Operator Certificates (AOC) and renewal of at least four AOCs.
Others include enhancement of surveillance and revamping of the Consumer Protection department with marked results.