NCAA Director General: ATSSSAN Petitions Presidency, Gives 21- Day Ultimatum

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, June 22, (THEWILL) – The AirTransport Services Senior Staff Association Of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) has expressed concern over the non- confirmation of a substantive Director General for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) almost five months after the announcement of a new boss for the authority.

In a petition to the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF) , Senator Ayim Pius Ayim, dated June 18 and signed by Captain Tar Tanongo, ATSSSAN Deputy National Secretary, the association said the appointment of a substantive Director General was dragging too long following the inability of the government to transmit to the Senate the name of Captain Muktar Usman for approval.

The union, which said in as much as nature does not abhor vacuum with an acting Director General appointed, warned that the Civil Aviation Act does not recognise that office in acting capacity.

According to the association, several legal and vital documents and activities were being performed that might become issues of contention and litigations in the future, stressing that the aviation industry has suffered and is still suffering from several decisions taken by the government that cause the agencies billions of naira to remedy and embarrassment to the Federal Government as was the case under the six months the former Director General, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, spent in acting capacity before being confirmed in 2013.

Tanongo said the union, with this development, was giving the government a 21- day ultimatum within which to act or the aviation industry in the country would be grounded.

“We are constrained but have to do what we have to do for the survival of the industry and NCAA in particular. In view of the above, we hereby give the Federal Government through your office, 21-day ultimatum to do all the due diligence and give us a substantive Director General or we will have no other option than to ground all operations in the aviation industry in Nigeria. This sir, serves as a 21-day notice of strike action, ” he said.

ATSSSAN said it had waited patiently, hoping the issue will be corrected and had endured all the outburst and accusation from members.

'Aviation is not an industry to toy with as any negative decision can mortgage safety of operations,' it warned.