There is a sharp division among aviation unions and stakeholders in the aviation industry over what should be the credentials of the yet-to-be appointed minister of aviation.
Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria( ATSSSAN), National Union of Air Transport Employees ( NUATE ), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers ( NAAPE), National Association of Air Traffic Controllers ( NATCA), National Air Traffic Association of Nigeria (NACAN), Aviation Round Table (ART) and Airline Operators of Nigeria ( AON), said in a joint statement that an aviation industry technocrat should be appointed the next aviation minister.
AON chairman, Capt. NogieMeggison said in a statement that the position of the joint aviation industry associations had not changed “on account of feelers emanating from some circles that some persons are capitalizing on the open letter sent to President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint a technocrat as minister to lobby for themselves.”
“It has come to the notice of stakeholders that some persons were using some experts to make case for themselves as against the collective position.
“Stakeholders have resolved that a technocrat should be appointed as aviation minister, but not some industry players or head of aviation agencies that have misled previous aviation ministers, who are using their positions to lobby for the position of aviation minister, without the requisite capacity and track record for the position.
“One of the major reasons why industry players need a technocrat as the next aviation minister is to rescue the industry from its current state where certain self-centered elements without pedigree and track record want to continue to hijack the industry.
“A clear situation is where the industry finds itself today where such people are now in Abuja lobbying to be the next minister of aviation. The appointment of a technocrat will be able see through their selfish motives to enable him or her decipher the grain from the chaff,” he said.
He said such opportunists and industry sycophants in the past set “banana peel “on the paths of previous aviation ministers to pave the way for their failure.
Similarly, the president of Aviation Roundtable, Capt. Dele Ore warned against the use of the open letter to the president as an avenue by some self-seeking experts to advance their selfish desire to lobby for the position of aviation minister.
“The same professionals that are now agitating to be considered to replace Princess Stella Oduah are those that misadvised her and are being sponsored.
“The letter that we signed in which we genuinely called for the appointment of an industry expert as the minister of aviation was a genuine call we have made over the years.
“Our letter is now fraudulently being used to promote the interest of people agitating to be appointed as such but we consider the people being paraded in connection with our letter are not honourable enough for such highly exalted office because they are not fit and proper as well,” said Ore.
In his reaction, the chief executive of Zenith Travels, Mr. OlumideOhunayo said the unions’ and some stakeholders’ call for the appointment of an industry expert as aviation minister “is self severing and not a true reflection of recent achievements and genuine yearning of the industry in totality.”
“Having a technocrat at the helms of the ministry is not the panacea to our problem; the last technocrat only facilitated the increment of Nigeria Airways pilots’ remuneration.
“A technocrat is nice to have; the president must not be compelled by threats but should rather be left alone to make his choice, putting in perspective the federal character concept as enshrined in the constitution.
“What we need is an administrator and entrepreneur who will supervise the agencies and also attract investors into the sector and will not be mentally ambushed. He or she will correct the lapses therein and complete ongoing projects considering the time frame of this administration,” he said.
Commenting on the issue, the chief operating officer of Dana Air, Mr. YvanDrewinsky, said the minister of aviation should be someone who understands the specifics of the industry to help it grow and develop.
