MINISTER of Aviation, StellaOduah, may have stirred the hornet nest with the restructuring exercise just carried out at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), as the exercise, which has been described as ethnic cleansing, may pitch some notable Yoruba leaders against President Good-luck Jonathan-led government.This became obvious on Sunday, following the sack of five general managers who coincidentally are from Yoruba in a one fell swoop.The development came even as other workers who are of Yoruba extraction were afraid that their jobs may have also been put on the line.The latest sack had been described as 'a ploy to wipe out Yoruba professionals from the aviation industry,' even as they described the sack of one non-Yoruba man as a gimmick.According to information gathered on Sunday, those affected had vowed to take up the case with notable Yoruba citizens, for the purpose of finding out if the action had the backing of the presidency.The affected officials accused the minister of ordering their sack against the principle of civil service and lamented their humiliation in the hands of security officials in the airport.As of Sunday, the sacked officials were already making moves to take their case to notable Yoruba leaders, including former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; Chief Olagun-soye Oyinlola, Senator Bola Tinubu, Mr Femi Falana, Dr Fredrick Fasehun and Chief Gani Adams.Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, some of the sacked officials attributed the development to what they called 'ethnic cleansing,' adding that 'the Yoruba do not have any shoulder to lean on at the topmost structure of government.'They challenged the minister to explain the yardstick used in their sack, adding that the establishment of new directorates, which led to the appointment of new people, negated the principle of career growth in civil service.This came even as stakeholders and professionals in the industry also expressed divergent views on the ongoing restructuring exercise in the sector.While some see the current redeployment and appointment in the sector as a step in the right direction, others claimed the exercise was vindictive, lacked professionalism and tailored with ethnic colouration.The assistant secretary of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Alhaji Muhammad Tukur, said whatever structure the ministry wanted to put in place must reflect national character, to correct the anomalies of the past.President, Aviation Roundtable, Captain Dele Ore, in a telephone interview, said the redeployment, sack and appointment of some people would not move the industry forward.Meanwhile, the minister, on Friday, signed performance contract agreements with the permanent secretary and the chief executives of agencies under the Ministry of Aviation, warning them of 'severe consequences for failure and under-performance.'At the ceremony, held at the conference room, the minister warned the permanent secretary, Ms Anne N. Ene-Ita; managing directors of FAAN and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr George Uriesi and Mr Nnamdi Udoh respectively, the Director-General of the Nigerian Metereological Agency (NIMET), Dr Anthony Anuforum and the Commissioner, Accident Investigations Bureau, Captain Mukthar Usman, saying that there was zero tolerance for under-performance.
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