NAN-H-24
Expatriates
By Adekunle Williams and Solomon Asowata
Lagos, Feb. 17,2017 (NAN) The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has urged the Federal Government to curb the influx of expatriates in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, NUATE, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
NAN reports that there are currently 2,226 active licensed pilots, 1,532 aircraft maintenance engineers and 543 flight dispatchers in the aviation industry.
It also has 313 air traffic controllers, 1,888 cabin crew, 254 air traffic safety electronic personnel and 100 aeuronautic station operators.
Abioye said the unions in the sector were, however, concerned with the high number of foreigners among these employees.
He said that they were trying to get the figure of expatriates within the system which, hopefully, would be completed within the next few weeks and forwarded to the government.
“The aviation unions have been clamouring for a review of the expatriate quota for those people who have been brought into our industry and have technically taken over jobs that Nigerians are suitably qualified to perform.
“It may shock you that all these while that we have been complaining, the government, through the ministry of transportation and aviation, has given assurances that measures are going to be put in place to checkmate influx of expatriates in the sector.
“Unfortunately, we have not seen any semblance of such interventions from the government. It is very worrisome.
“We have more foreigners in our midst than it is expected. This has affected several qualified aircraft pilots, engineers, technicians and others,’’ Abioye said.
According to him, the unions may have to petition the National Assembly to summon those in charge of granting work permit to these foreigners if the government fails to address the issue.
He said: “We are again using this medium to call on the government to review the issue of expatriate quota.
We believe that their presence is being inimical to Nigerians getting job opportunities they are qualified for’’.
Abioye noted that the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, produces professionals every year who were finding it difficult to get jobs in the sector.
“There is no way you can progress in the sector without work experience.
“For instance, if you are a pilot, you should have a specific number of flying hours but how do you achieve that if the jobs are taken over by foreigners.
“So, something has to be done about it because if we are thinking of revamping our aviation industry and putting it in the global perspective, we must do it right. (NAN)
WAC/ASO/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)