The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr. Festus Keyamo said the re-election of the director of special duties at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr Ahmad Abba as the executive vice president, Africa and Middle East Region of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Association (IFATCA) is an indication that Nigeria does not grow its manpower solely for the local market.
Recall that Abba was re-elected to the position for two terms from 2025-2027 at the 35th IFATCA Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting held in Cairo, Egypt recently.
Reacting to the re-election, Keyamo, who was also at the meeting said the development is a sign that the current administration’s vision to develop the industry manpower is being achieved.
The minister affirmed that he looked forward to seeing many Nigerians occupying important positions on global aviation organisations as their experience there will help accelerate the growth of the industry.
“Abba’s reelection is one of the sign that we are gaining more grounds on the international stage as we continue in our journey to take the country’s aviation to greater height and play important roles internationally. This is my vision for the industry which is to see that our manpower development programme are not only utilised locally but also globally.
“I congratulate him and NAMA and urge him not to rest on his oars while I also encourage more of our citizens to veil for offices globally so that when they bring their experiences and leanings home, our industry will be the better for it,” the minister said.
Abba, who was first elected to the position at the 63rd Annual Conference, held in April 2024 in Singapore promised to represent Nigeria positively on the forum and bring his experience to bear on the development of the country’s aviation sector.
