Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah: Valkyrie of Aviation Industry!

Princess Stella Oduah is an embodiment of nation building through her desire of contributing her quota to the building of a sound Nigeria where everybody is happy to live. In all the places she worked, records has shown that her desire of taking her country to greater height is legendry. This informed her giant strides in her capacity as Minister of Aviation where she brought innovation that bring sanity and conducive working atmosphere to the sector. Therefore to call her an achiever is not far from truth. Besides her leadership prowess and qualities, Stella unlike others; is very friendly; humane, simple in driving desired goals, open and generous to all humanity without considering where you come from. She harps on people’s experience or ideas, a peaceful woman who is always ready to listen to people born with talent to advise her on how to come out with strategies of taking Nigeria to stardom. I come to know her during President Jonathan campaign through her initiative neighbour to neighbour which she used in selling the product called Jonathan/Sambo. Before then, I only hear her name and the way she has the desire of taking her people to greater height. Her desire coupled with sound background makes her to become a leading star among the present members of federal executive council, this is what many think inform her giant strides in her present ministry. Before she came, the aviation sector is riddled with many problems, but upon assuming duty she changed everything. Reports has shown that even before she became minister, as somebody travelling she used to come across problems associating with either poor management or dilapidated offices within the airports, so she kept at the back of her mind and always praying to have an opportunity of bringing solutions in order for the sector to become a force to reckon not only in generating revenue to the nation but to every Nigerian who has anything to do with it. Alas, her prayer was answered by God when in July 2, 2011 she was confirmed and sworn in by President Goodluck Jonathan as Minister of Aviation. Upon assuming duty, she virtually toured all formations under her ministry nationwide and during such visits she openly discussed with staffs and relevant agencies on how to bring solutions to the problems militating against the progress of the sector as well as to address problems facing the teeming staffs. The poor state of the airports according reports was compounded by the influx of all manner of persons into them, thereby overstretching the old facilities, which posed serious security challenges at the airports which were in dire need of being addressed frontally. However, since July 2, 2011 when she came on board, she has recorded tremendous achievements, and confirms that adage that says: what a man can do a woman can do it better. She has a clear vision on how she intended to reposition the aviation industry in line with international standard and best practices. Her vision includes changing the business model of the aviation industry into self-sustaining model through increased private sector participation and transforming the industry in Nigeria into a regional hub in West and Central Africa. The People’s Princess of Nigeria has also demonstrated uncommon commitment towards enhancing internally generated revenue and improving transparency within the agencies by automating the revenue collection process. She made conscious efforts to maximise the contribution of aviation to the socio-economic development of the Nigerian economy through the boosting of tourism, agro-allied growth, commerce, job creation, national image, and inflow of foreign direct investment. As woman of every magnitude with desire of bringing sanity and couple with her vast experience on private sector, she is determined to sustain the Category I Certification, CAT I and continue to maintain all the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, standards and industry best practices. To ensure safety in our airports, the ministry under her provided airfield lightning, navigational aids, meteorological instruments and other safety measures in line with ICAO standards as well as strengthen the Accident Investigation Infrastructure. In terms of E-Governance platform, the ministry has developed a website (www.aviation.gov.ng) to provide links to other websites of all airlines and provide information on investment opportunities in the industry. It has also developed an E-Governance platform which will enable the ministry to have management oversight on all ongoing projects and other activities. This and other initiatives greatly increased transparency and improved accountability. In the area of workforce or manpower or rather training and capacity building, the ministry under her has strengthened the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology to become a regional centre of excellence in aviation training and capacity building. To guarantee revenue enhancement and concessioning, the aviation ministry under her is working in conjunction with industry players to bring its revenue generation activities to meet international best practices. In The ministry also had to intervene on the cost of aviation fuel to reduce operational cost of airline operators in an effort to reduce ticket prices and made efforts to increase the number of airline operators. She virtually intervened to stop the exploitative collection of N2,500 passenger service charges, PSC, by directing the operator to revert to the old rate of N1,000, because she considered the new charge as an additional burden on the Nigerian travelling public. Other significant achievements which inform the writing of her name on gold are the completion of the new control tower and commencement of installation of equipment at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano, and completion of the upgrade, remodelling and movement of the local terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport to international standard. The rehabilitation of the Hajj Camps at the Mallam Aminu Kano International airport was equally completed within the period. It is also on record that the present administration effectively handled the resurfacing of the runaway at Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar; Ibadan, Maiduguri and Sokoto Airports. It went further to install low level winds hear alert system, LLWAS, at Lagos airports, while those of Kano and Port Harcourt were completed in November 2011. Other projects that were nearing completion include, the installation of six Doppler weather radar system; test running of the system in Abuja, power improvement projects at Lagos, Abuja and Ilorin as well as water improvement including new boreholes and water hydrants for the runaway at the Lagos, Jos, Abuja, Owerri and Kano airports. Besides, under state airport development, contract for consultancy services have been awarded for the Bayelsa Airport project. The provision of the requisite infrastructural facilities in these airports has led to a steady growth in passenger traffic in most airports notably in Lagos, Abuja, Owerri, Benin, Port Harcourt and Kano. Consequently, commercial activities have been rejuvenated. This positive trend has resulted in the general overstretch of facilities and equipment in most of the airports. The amiable minister’s commitment towards protecting the interest of Nigerians, especially travellers and business is total. She demonstrated this at the heat of the recent wrangling between Arik Air and the British Airways. Other is her stand on reducing ticket prices of British Airways compared to what our brothers from other countries are paying, she persued the matter to a logical conclusion. Her prompt actions inform a serious debate between the relevant Nigerian agencies, NASS and British authorities and at the end, the matter was amicably resolved in mutual manner. Many Nigerians view her tremendous achievement to her fearless and selfless service to humanity, through stepping on toes no matter the status of the person found wanting, this and other leadership qualities earned her not only respect from Nigerians within, but even those in Diaspora. For these and many other achievements, she was rewarded with various awards of excellence one of such is 2011 Leadership Public Officer of the Year Award. By and large she contributed immensely to aviation sector but I want her to address problems facing Sultan Abubakar Airport Sokoto, those includes lack of screening machines both for checked in and carrying baggage; lack of patrol van; insecurity which inform burglars on windows; additional manpower; lack of perimeter fence; lack of conveyer belt as well as encroachment of stray animals. The People’s Princess of Nigeria received her Bachelor and Master Degree in Accounting and Business Administration in United States. Upon her return to the country in 1983, she joined the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. In 1992, she left the NNPC to establish the Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Limited SPG an independent marketer of petroleum in Nigeria. The former wife to the former minister for works, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi has children. Alkammawa write from Sultan Bello Road, Kaduna +2347030399110, alkammawa2000@yahoo.com, belloahmadualkammawa@gmail.com and sarauniya1@hotmail.com Nigeria. 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