Capt. Muhtar takes over as DG NCAA

R-L:
Former Ag. DG Engr. Benedict Adeyileka and the new DG Capt. Muhtar Usman during the handover ceremony

Captain Muhtar Usman has taken over as  the substantive Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA from Engr. Benedict Adeyileka who has been in acting capacity.  

According to a statement signed by Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, General Manager Public Affairs of NCAA,

“Capt Muhtar Usman assumed office as Director General/Chief Executive Officer (DG) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority [NCAA] yesterday 31st of October,2014 in Lagos with a declaration that his administration would focus on  Safety, Security and Comfort in the conduct of flight operations in and out of Nigerian airspace in line with the Transformation Agenda  of  President Goodluck Jonathan.

In achieving this, he said he would be guided by Annexes of the  International Civil Aviation Organization[ICAO], the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations[NCARs] and other appropriate legislations  and  conventions in line with  international standard.”

Ndubuoke stated that Capt Usman was full of commendation for the management and staff of the Authority for the hard work he said must have been put in  for the retention of the American Federal Aviation Administration[FAA] International Aviation Safety Assessment[IASA] Category One. This has qualified Nigerian Registered Aircraft from flying directly to the Continental United States.

He accordingly solicited for the support and cooperation of all the staffers of the Authority for the achievement of the three point Agenda.

“Earlier, the former Acting Director General and Director Airworthiness Standards[DAWS] Engr Benedict Adeyileka  introduced the management staffers present and handed over a prepared notes detailing the activities of the Authority  to the new  DG.

He explained that the handover notes listed all the  Directorates and their activities, Various Committees that have been raised and their job functions, Operating Airlines and their major routes, List of Airline Operating Certificate {AOC} holders, List of  AOCs issued within his acting period.

The handover notes also contained a brief on the Authority preparation ahead of the upcoming ICAO audit to which there is no date yet. The good news, he said was that NCAA is in full compliance in all ICAO critical elements, except in two areas that he said we would need to be buckled up.

Engr Adeyileka  also touched on all the challenges confronting the Authority in areas of being able to retained skilled and qualified staff in sufficient numbers, indebtedness to the Authority by Airlines, shortage of accommodation for staff, Shortage of funds for training and the ongoing efforts to review the subsisting Service Charge.”-said Ndubuoke

Apart from pledging his readiness to shed more light as may be required on all issues, the Director of Airworthiness however pledged the loyalty and support by all staff of the Authority and wish him a successful tenure.

Capt Usman's aviation career dates back to 1981 at the College of Aviation Technology[NCAT], Zaria in Kaduna State, where as a flying instructor, he was involved in the  training of students pilots from basics to attain commercial pilot license, multi engine and instrument ratings.

He had a Diploma in Aeronautical  Electronics and Telecommunication and a City  and Guilds certificate  in Radio, Television, Electronics and Telecommunications.

The new DG/CEO later bagged his qualification as a Commercial Pilot with multi engine  and Instrument ratings from Burnside - Ott  Aviation  Training Centre, Miami, United States of America in 1978.

Besides, he also qualified as a Boeing 727 Flight Engineer in Miami in 1980,and capped with a Flying Instructor s' rating at Oxford  Air Training School, United Kingdom in 1982.

He is currently a B737 pilot and has acquired over 8000 hours in his professional career.

Capt Usman, who until the current appointment, the Commissioner and  CEO of the Accident Investigation Bureau[AIB],  has undergone various types of trainings locally and abroad on Aviation Safety, Management and Operations has  also undertook various assignments  that broadened his knowledge, capacity and capability  for the current assignment.