NAPA drums support for Oduah

The Nigerian Aviation Professionals Association (NAPA) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to retain the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, for her to continue with the transformation of the industry.

 NAPA made this call following several calls for the removal of the minister over some official issues.

The body said that as a professional association in the aviation sector, it was interested in the development of the sector and its transformation and since Oduah was doing that, she should be allowed to continue.


 Lambasting those alleging that the minister was corrupt, NAPA declared that past ministers who were known to be corrupt and who did not do anything to improve the industry never faced such attack and criticisms Oduah was being bombarded with.

According to the general secretary of the association, Comrade Abdulrasak Saidu, ”the association had earlier made its position clear on the allegation concerning the N255 million armoured car. The minister was being persecuted for her zeal and determination to clean the rot that had piled up in the aviation industry.

“By doing this, she has incurred the wrath of some fat cats who were the beneficiaries of the old order. Therefore, she must be punished for questioning some of the concessionaire agreements signed in the past, which consigned Nigeria’s wealth to the hands of a few individuals. We say no”.

NAPA observed that those clamouring for the removal of the minister “have spared nothing in their determination to get her out of the way. For them to achieve this objective, they have employed several crude tactics, ranging from subtle threats, attempts on her life, negative media campaign to outright blackmail.”

The labour body attributed its position to a recent private investigation conducted in Nigeria which revealed that among the various sectors in the present administration of Goodluck Jonathan, the aviation sector was adjudged the most developed.

“For the first time in Africa’s history, Oduah’s tenure as Aviation Minister has produced Dr Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu as President, the International Civil Aviation Organisation. With the rehabilitation of the airports and upgrading of navigational facilities, she is working hard to sustain Nigeria’s category one safety status”.

“NAPA, therefore, reiterates its earlier stand, insisting that Oduah must be allowed to continue the transformation of the aviation sector. President Jonathan must discountenance the antics of a few enemies of the nation who are indirectly plotting his downfall by attacking his most faithful productive loyalists. On Princess Stella Oduah we stand and her we shall continue to support”, the association also said.

Tribune.