Nigeria aviation news roundup

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ischief Makers Trying To Create
Confusion In NIMET, Says New
Director-General: Professor Sani
Abubakar Mashi, the new Director-
General (DG) of the Nigerian Meteorological
Agency (NIMET), has denied reports of
confusion in the agency, blaming such on
mischief makers.
The new DG denied speculations that he has
not resumed as the DG because of friction
between him and his predecessor. Professor
Mashi also denied speculations that staff of
the agency have not been promoted for many
years.
In a personally signed statement, the NIMET
DG said he has resumed work at the agency
and that the former Director-General, Dr.
Anthony Anuforom, ensured a hitch-free
transition and succession process.
“In line with the letter and spirit of the letter
of my appointment and contrary to the
insinuation, I have since assumed duty at
NIMET.
“In the past 10 days, I can attest to the
benefits of this succession plan. Together with
the former Director-General, we have not
only been going through technical and
operational procedures together but have also
visited some of NIMET’s critical installations
where I was adequately briefed on their
workings," said the new NIMET DG.
Professor Mashi added he and his predecessor
have been working without any tension.
"It is therefore completely false that there is
some disquiet regarding my assumption of
duties,” he said.
On the issue of staff promotion, the new DG
explained that from the briefings he has so
far been given, the agency's staff have been
promoted when due over the years.
“Available records indicate clearly that in
2014, for instance, a total of 205 staff were
promoted, while another 332 were equally
promoted in 2015. In 2016 alone, another set
of 315 members of staff also gained their
promotion. The list of eligible candidates for
promotion this year (2017) has already been
compiled and being processed,” he disclosed
FAAN Managing Director Seeks Better
Understanding From Aviation Staff Unions
Mr. Saleh Dunoma, Managing Director of the
Federal  Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),
has called for more understanding from
aviation staff unions as a way of achieving
recovery of the country's beleaguered aviation
sector. Mr. Dunoma said unions needed to
help create a tension-free atmosphere that is
necessary for industrial growth.
He made the call cal at the 2nd Quadrennial
National Delegates Conference of Air
Transport Services Senior Staff Association,
currently holding in Ijebu Ode, where Mr.
Dunoma was represented by Mrs. Salamatu
Eluwa, FAAN's Director of Human Resources.
The FAAN Managing Director acknowledged
the various debilitating challenges faced by
that the sector. Among these, he said,
increases in the price of aviation fuel and the
attendant operational costs, personnel and
labor relations challenges as well
infrastructural deficit and environmental
issues.
Mr. Dunoma explained that the ongoing
economic recession has caused a dip in air
travel, forcing a downward shift in the
market. The situation, he said, requires
innovative ideas to remedy. According to Mr.
Dunoma, the FAAN management, despite the
inclement economic climate in the
country, has maintained a culture of prompt
payment of staff salaries and staff career
development. He disclosed that the agency
has released the results of the 2016
promotional exercises for junior and senior
staff, while those of Grade Level 14-16 have
been forwarded for ministerial approval.
He also disclosed that payments of furniture
grant to staff and gratuity to former staff have
continued, while payment of outstanding staff
claims is ongoing.
The FAAN boss noted that airport
infrastructure across is undergoing
rehabilitation.
RwandAir To Begin Flights Operations To
Harare, Mumbai in April
RwandAir has announced plans to add
Harare, Zimbabwe, and Mumbai, India, to its
routes in April.
The was disclosed by the airline’s Country
Manager, Ms. Ibiyemi Odusi. Speaking in
Lagos, Ms. Odusi stated that there are also
plans to extend the airline's services to
Lilongwe, Malawi; Bamako, Mali; Conakry,
Guinea; New York and the United Kingdom.
She disclosed that the airline would deploy its
new Airbus 300- 200 and Airbus 300- 300 as
well as Boeing 737- 800 aircraft with on
board Wi-Fi and mobile network on the new
routes.
She added that the airline's safety record have
been attested to by the International Air
Transport Association (IATA) Operational
Safety Audit (IOSA) and International Air
Transport Association’s (IATA) Safety Audit for
Ground Operations (ISAGO).
Ms. Odusi also said the airline would offer
two -piece baggage allowance with 23
kilograms for economy and business class
passengers, while business class passengers
will enjoy two- piece baggage allowance with
32 kilograms.
NAMA, NAF Critical To Airspace Safety, Says
Akinkuotu
Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace
Management Agency (NAMA), Captain Fola
Akinkuotu, has declared that the safety and
security of the nation’s airspace depend
largely on the capacity of critical personnel of
the Agency and the Nigeria Air Force (NAF).
Captain Akinkuotu made the declaration
during a visit to the NAMA Headquarters in
Lagos by students and instructors of the
Department of Air Warfare of the Armed
Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. The
NAMA boss promised continuous support for
NAF in the training of its critical manpower,
especially in the area of air traffic control,
adding that collaboration, between NAMA and
NAF, in training and retraining of staff is
crucial.
“This civil/military synergy and cooperation
over the years has ensured that we have a
robust capacity to manage our airspace which
has remained safe and secure for efficient and
seamless air navigation by both civil and
military authorities,” he said.
He commended NAF for providing security
around the agency’s navigational aids at
airports around the country; it has prevented
the destruction of the nation’s critical assets.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the
visiting team, Air Commodore Abubakar
Liman, said their visit was to expose students
of the college to the practical application of
the basic management principles they
acquired in the classroom to make an
analytical comparison between a typical
military unit and a civil organization
performing complementing roles.
Air Commodore Liman also expressed hoped
that with the quality of operational exposure
the participants got from NAMA, the students
who are mostly captains and majors, will be
better equipped to handle bigger
responsibilities.
NAHCO Appoints Bello as New Chairman
The Board of the Nigerian Aviation Handling
Company Plc has announced the appointment
of Mr. Usman Arabi Bello as Chairman. Mr.
Bello is taking over from the Vice Chairman,
Mr.Dennis Hasdenteufel, who had occupied
the position in acting capacity since last
October, when former Chairman, Mr.
Suleiman Yahaya, quit on health grounds.
In a statement by the company' spokesman,
Mr. Tayo Ajakaye, Mr. Bello emerged
Chairman after a meeting of the board, which
held on January 12, 2016.
The statement pointed out that the Nigerian
Stock Exchange (NSE) has been duly notified
of the appointment, as required by listing
rules.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Bello was the
Chairman of NAHCO Free Trade Zone (NFZ).
An architect and property expert, Mr. Bello
sits on many boards, including HNB Security
and Protection Company Limited as Chairman;
Bello Group of Companies and Zycom
Surveillance Inc.
The company also announced the
appointment, as a non-executive Director, of
Mr. Femi Olubanwo, an expert in intellectual
property, company and commerci