TO rise to the pinnacle of one’s career is the best thing that can happen to anyone as this is one of the evidences of a reward for hardworking. While this may not be the case in all the scenarios mentioned as many who rose to these positions had at time been discovered not to merit such but got there based on nepotism and other questionable means especially in Nigeria.
At any rate, becoming a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a government agency is definitely not a bread and butter issue as such person must have been able to prove his ability and capability in any given responsibility.
Therefore, when a particular fellow is appointed as the CEO of a government agency, that person is looked at with envy and rated higher but unknown to many who envy these CEOs, like a popular adage which says ‘uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’, to be a CEO particularly in Nigeria is not all that rosy as banana peels are lying in the waiting which often lead to distraction, depression, failure and even at times death.
Most CEOs across the various government agencies will attest to the fact that they are not enjoying the positions due to the too many distractions put on their way particularly by the ministers of the parent ministries under which their agencies fall into.
Today’s focus is on the aviation agencies whose CEOs work under a tough condition ranging from unnecessary pressures from the ministry of aviation which without doubt has been hampering their jobs. It is no longer news how out of the five working days in a week, no CEO of the agencies can boast of remaining in his official office for two days as he is always summoned to Abuja at the behest of the minister to answer even calls that can be done through mere phone calls.
In all honesty, this act of undue pressure did not start with the present dispensation as it has become the style by many of the past aviation ministers who often at times had failed in their responsibilities as they pushed their functions to the CEOs who already have their hands full with the management of their agencies.
Without doubt, the aviation agencies have not been that free like others in other sectors as their CEOs are put under high pressures by the ministers who summon them to the ministry at Abuja over any slightest flimsy excuses.
While these CEOs are summoned as if they without recourse to the health implications, in most cases their tables in Lagos are taken over by heaps of sensitive files awaiting treatment or vetoes. In some cases, such sensitive files have been made to be taken to Abuja by a chosen official to enable the affected CEO treat and return them to Lagos with cost implications.
The way these CEOs are constantly summoned makes key players in the sector to begin to ask if there was then any need for a minister of aviation who cannot do anything without having the CEOs around him.
This too much summoning has turned many of the CEOs to a ghost of themselves as they hardly have time for themselves or their families. They are not sure of their next minute as they may be in the office this minute and they are already airborne the next minute.These pressures are wearing them down and putting them under tension.
These unnecessary pressures put on the CEOs had in the past claimed the live of one of them who happened to be one of the best brains and perfect professional the sector could boast of.
This issue that has become the norm in the sector which is a cause for concern for stakeholders has again been confirmed by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) in its latest later to the minister while reacting to the recent relocation order to the aviation agencies.
NUATE in the letter argued that while there location order may be for the purpose of reducing the cost of governance, but added that the “chunk of the planned cost reduction should be realized from the savings from the heads of agencies through frequent trips to Abuja to answer the calls of the minister of aviation.
“But, most believe, ourselves included, that frequent calls are unnecessary and actually amounts to undue distraction and interference from the ministry. Besides, as COVID-19 has taught us, virtual meeting has become the other of the day. This can be a veritable resort by the ministry to save cost”.
Obviously, the unnecessary pressures being mounted on the aviation CEOs which has been in existence for years should urgently be reviewed for so many reasons ranging from better efficiency, better result for the progress of the sector, long life for the CEOs and many more.
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