Breaking…NASS Warns Agencies Under Ministry of Aviation Of. Not Responding To Its Lettters
The National Assembly joint committee on Aviation has sent a warning to agencies under the Ministry of Aviation to learn how to honour invitations from them or face the other side of the Federal legislatures.
Speaking during the 2025 budget defence of the Ministry of Aviation on Wednesday in Abuja, the chairman of the Senate committee on Aviation, Abdulfatai Buhari told the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo that they (NASS) have discovered over time that agencies under his ministry don’t respect letters or invitations from them as such, they won’t take it from them again.
Buhari said, if it continues this way after today (Wednesday) the NASS will have no option than to use the powers bestowed on it to compel them to appear before it.
“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.
Meanwhile, at the joint committee Keyamo presented 2025 budget proposal totaling N71.1 billion.
The breakdown included N69.2 billion for capital projects, N1.1 billion for personnel costs, and N745.7 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.
