Oduah: Unions Threaten To Reject Minister who is not Aviation Professional

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Wednesday, February 12th, 2014

Ruth Bamidele, Lagos

Reacting to the removal of Aviation Minster, Stella Oduah, Aviation Unions on Wednesday vowed to reject any minister of aviation who is not a seasoned professional in the industry.

Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah.

The unions spoke under the umbrella of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).

The unions, in a statement jointly signed by presidents of the three association – Comrade Balami Isaac David President of NAAPE, Comrade Benjamin Okewu President of ATSSSAN and Comrade Safianu Mohammed Dauda President of NUATE, urged President Jonathan to use this opportunity to right the wrongs of the past by appointing a seasoned professional as Minister of Aviation.

The Union blamed the shortcomings of the former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah on the fact that she does not posses adequate knowledge about the industry, stressing that aviation was just too technical and complex for a non professional to manage.

Therefore, they argued that the new Aviation Minister must be a seasoned aviation professional as anything short of that would be a great disservice to the nation and the unions would totally reject and completely withdraw their cooperation from anyone appointed into that office.

The statement further reads: “This time, however, we are compelled to insist that the new Minister of aviation to be appointed by the President must be a seasoned aviation professional.

“To do otherwise will be a great disservice to the nation, and we, the three unions in aviation will totally reject and completely withdraw cooperation from anyone appointed into that office who is not a seasoned aviation professional.

“We pray God almighty to guide our President right in this regard.”