The three aviation unions in the country said they were prepared to offer solutions in the ongoing crisis in the sector with a view to repositioning the industry.
The unions are the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).
Mr Isaac Balami, the National President of NAAPE, made the unions’ position known in a statement on behalf of other unions on Sunday in Lagos.
He said a meeting would be scheduled with notable elders and prominent professionals in the industry in order to brainstorm on the contending issues.
Balami added that the meeting would seek to chart a course for more participation by stakeholders in the aviation sector for the purpose of moving the industry forward.
“We are going to focus on critical areas of the Nigerian aviation industry such as the need for continued and greater levels of investment in civil aviation.
“We shall also look at the training of the next-generation pilots, engineers, traffic controllers, among others.
“We, therefore, collectively call upon these elders and experts to attend this crucial meeting.’’
The union president said one of the objectives of the meeting was to collectively make valuable contributions on how to proactively move the industry to greater heights.
He said: “if Nigeria is to attain its vision of 20:2020, it must grow its aviation sector to a level befitting of the physical size and population of the country.’’
The meeting was also aimed at complementing the ongoing efforts of Federal Government to reposition the civil aviation sector, he added.
He noted that the present transformation in the sector would place the industry back on the path to rapid and sustainable growth.
Balami said an industry veteran, Capt. Paul Tahal, would moderate the one-day meeting, scheduled for Abuja on Oct. 29.
