ABUJA – A Civil Society Group, the Initiative for Leadership and Economic Watch, ILEW, Wednesday, commended the exemplary leadership style of the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma at the agency.

The Executive Director of ILEW, Amb. Splendour Agbonkpolor who made the commendation in a statement issued in Abuja, said Engr. Dunoma has reversed ugly and unsavory trend which hitherto threatened the aviation sector of the economy since he assumed office

The group, however condemned the recent concerted tirades and sustained media campaign against Engr. Dunoma and the entire Agency under his leadership, noting that such contrived mudslinging was aimed to tarnish the meteorically rising reputation of MD.

Agbonkpolor noted that the improved security and safety measures put in place “Have helped to significantly restore confidence in the Nigerian Airports, with an attendant influx of foreign investors and tourists who can rely on the safety and security of our air ways.”

He praised the efforts of Engr. Saleh Dunoma for the sterling innovations which he introduced over time to revitalize and strengthen the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and lifting its international rating of Nigerian aviation notches higher.

According to him, “It is however unsettling that certain fiendish elements which place their self – centered interests above and beyond our collective good as a Nation have rather chosen to throwspannersin the wheels of progress of FAAN.

“The concerted tirades and sustained media campaign against the person of Engr. Saleh Dunoma and the entirely of FAAN as an Agency under his leadership can be seen as a clear case of contrived mudslinging just totarnish the meteorically rising reputation of Engr. Dunoma.

“The records bear it clear that our Airports across the nation were in a comatose state and plagued with periodic air mishaps before the appointment of Engr. Saleh Dunoma who has now reversed that ugly and unsavory trend which also threatened other sectors of our economy as investors were wary of travelling in our air space.

“The scenario of cattle and other forms of animals grazing and straying into the Airport tarmac and disrupting flight operations have also been combated and security strengthened at our Airports using proper fencing and up to date high tech equipment.

“These improved security and safety measures have helped to significantly restore confidence in the Nigerian Airports, with an attendant influx of foreign investors and tourists who can rely on the safety and security of our air ways.

One critical factor which has significantly rattled the profiteers and mafia in the Nation’s aviation industry is the fact that FAAN under the leadership of Engr. Dunoma blocked all the avenues of inefficiency which these enemies of our economy used to rob the Nation of direly needed revenue.

“Several of the Airlines operating in Nigeria had made it a recurrent point to expertly avert the requisite operational fees in the past thus robbing our economy of several billions of naira. Tawdry aviation contracts which did not reflect the proper economic interest of Nigeria in terms of Airports operations and management were reversed in the best interest of all stakeholders.

“This has not gone down well with certain individuals and business interests which feel they should have fed fat from the leak holes that hithertoexisted in FAAN.

“The salient fact cannot be denied is that there has been an improvement in the Operations of FAAN coupled with an increase in revenue generation which have all been prudently returned into the government coffers.

“The wild and directionless allegations being bandied in the Media is but an attempt to reverse the progress so far recorded in FAAN and to further divert attention from the sterling achievements recorded by Engr. Saleh Dunoma as Managing Director of FAAN.

“It is on the heels of these developments that we use this medium to caution detractors whose sole preoccupation is to fight the good government of President Muhammadu Buhari from the flanks to desist from same as this government will not succumb to the blackmail of her finest public servants such as Engr. Dunoma.”