Senator (Capt) Hadi Sirika is Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation spanned seven years in the life of present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari since 2015.
The pilot Minister’s appointment over the years had justified the popular saying of a round peg in a round hole, having had the experience of working in the same environment over the decades as a pilot both in the private and public organization.
With his current portfolio and versed experience, Senator Hadi Sirika without further delay swung into action and repositioned the ailing aviation industry to a modest look with a well thought out plans and it’s execution.
His appointment no doubt was not only timely, but brought under control frequent air mishap as necessary checks and procedures were strictly observed by airliners in the course of it’s operations on Nigeria airspace without reservation.
With the positive development, air accident across the country had been brought under control, with result of the pockets of unavoidable mishaps strictly released to mitigate the course as at when due, without much administrative bottlenecks.
Hadi’s seven years in office had increased passengers on air transport from 8M to 18M , with the level of comfort and confidence of Nigerian and foreign travelers in the efficiency and efficacy of the aviation sector in Nigeria.
He embarked on the construction of Abuja second runaway and completed within the stipulated time, that had hitherto brought untold hardship to air passengers plying both local and foreign trip using the FCT as their take off and landing point, to become more conducive and attractive.
Senator Hadi Sirika in the last seven years had embarked on massive reconstruction and construction of the new Lagos, Enugu, Kano , Port Harcourt airports runaway and provided working tools to the technical department to enhance job stability and satisfaction.
He created an enabling environment for both indigenous private and foreign airlines to operate in Nigeria, without hinderances and conscious of Nigerian sovereignty protected and non negotiable.
Senator Sirika introduced robust PPP arrangements between parastatals under the aviation Ministry and other interested partners and joint business conglomerates to the admiration of Nigerians.
The aviation Minister’s achievements under review also carried out sanctions through suspension, outright withdrawal of operating licences from both indigenous and foreign airlines, with the recent affront between Nigeria and UAE as an impetus towards robust leadership in the aviation sector.
The ongoing repositioning of both academic and administrative agencies in the aviation industry by the current Minister was unique, particularly in the training and retraining of pilots and with recourse to due diligence had contributed in no small measure to the continuous development of the aviation sector in Nigeria.
Hadi’s current stint had returned aviation sector not only a stable and alternative mode or transportation with consideration to the economic situation of Nigeria.
His leadership had wade in severally into the crises of aviation fuel that had threatened the operation of the sector over time by providing the needed supports and resolution between airline operators and marketers of aviation fuel by making adequate provision and at affordable and official rates.
The ongoing concesioning of 17 airports in Nigeria as well as unbundling of the aviation sector was a corrolary to the continuous development of the sector in recent time.
The crux of it’s achievements is the recent issuance of operation liencense to Air Nigeria a replacement to Nigeria Airway and new national career, the pet project of the Minister since the inception of the current administration.
With these remarkable performance and achievements of the Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika, no doubt about his determination to leave a lasting legacies in the sector.
Written by ABUBAKAR YUSUF, All inquiries to [email protected].
