The Secretary General of Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu, recently pointed that, there is shortage of manpower in some critical areas in the aviation sector, and therefore called for urgent attention by the authorities concerned to address the imbalance.The doyen of aviation unionism reinstated his earlier stance that aviation is a sophisticated industry that requires qualified personnel to move it forward if Nigeria and all stakeholders must reap from their investments. He charged the government to do all it could to ensure that, the industry is given its prime place devoid of interference which he said has remained the bane of the industry in the recent years.
Areas Comrade Saidu identified insufficient manpower needs include; firefighting, Aviation Security (AVSEC) and the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) departments, a situation he described as a misnomer that may not augur well for operational efficiency. Speaking to selected newsmen last weekend in Lagos, the ANAP scribe advised on the need to replenish the workforce in such departments with well trained professionals, in order to close the gaps and make room for efficiency in such identified areas. He also advised on the need for the government to establish a robust succession plan as most of personnel are ageing and leaving the system on retirement in quick successions. Saidu bemoaned a situation where core professionals are replaced with political appointees in the name of creating jobs for friends and relations who are not even grounded to man such positions.
Explaining why airfares continue to go up in the country, the aviation expert attributed the situation to inadequate airlines and aircraft which has caused very low capacity when compared to the global average. The airfare, he said cannot be controlled by NCAA because ticket price is deregulated, adding that, even though, NCAA had wanted to regulate the price, it would be very difficult because there are not enough airlines and aircraft in the system for effective Competition. He therefore called on the government not to close the chapter for a national carrier as its establishment he said is the only way that can bring down the escalating cost of airfares and also ensure reciprocity in the numerous Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASAs), signed by Nigeria with other countries.”Nigeria’s aviation is crawling and we are not where we suppose to be because we don’t have national carrier. In line of BASA which the Minister is running up and down, there is need for us to have one so that we can achieve the principles of reciprocity”, he said.
The labour leader who lamented that Nigeria’s aviation is still crawling and is yet to achieve it’s potentials, noted that, since Najomo came in as DG, things are beginning to change gradually because the renowned aviator has been within the system. “Najomo has brought sanity into the industry with some caution. At times, he used to be strict when they want to shortchange or cut corners on the rules and regulations as enshrined in ICAO Standards and Recommended (SARPs ). “Najomo is not somebody, you will say Minister has said this or that. He is like Demuren who wouldn’t allow anyone to teleguide him”, Saidu stated. The ANAP General secretary equally advised the government against airport concession, insisting that the country is not well developed to concession her airports. We warned about concession because airport is easier for external aggression to launch an attack. We are not developed to be able to concession our airports. Even now that our airports are not concessioned, drug related cases are prevalent, how much more when the airports are concession. It will definitely be more”, he said. He urged the Tinubu-led administration to encourage the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo to constitute Boards of all Aviation Parastatals as it has been done in other sectors saying that aviation industry deserves better attention because of its sensitivity in operations.
