By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

Chairman of the Airlines       Operators of Nigeria, AON, Captain Nogie Meggison has decried the inability of the Federal Government to provide job opportunities for about 327 pilots who are currently in search of jobs in the aviation industry.This is coming on the heels of the statement credited to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka that all the private jet operators must have a Nigerian pilot onboard as this would help in creating employment for them.

According to Captain Meggison, “as at today, we have about 327 unemployed pilots who are registered and looking for jobs. The Minister made a statement, he said there are 90 airplanes and private jets operating in Nigeria withforeign registrations. If you take that alone, there are two sets of crew per airplane so if you even say 90 – and we are saying its about 140 or 190 but he says 90 – but even if we take 90 alone 90 are two sets of crew per airplane because they cannot fly continuously”

To him, it was logical for the government to create jobs for the people noting that any private jets operator or anybody flying in Nigeria was expected to take Nigerians in the cockpit as this would create jobs and take people.   He said “it is only logical and mutually benefitting and makes more sense and when any airline operating and taking from the government create avenues to create jobs for the people.

It is not a novel idea that Nigeria is standing alone to say that any cockpit operator or anybody flying in Nigeria is expected to take Nigerians in the cockpit. This will create jobs and take people off the street”“A country with 180 million people you can count the number of people flying. As they say, one in every four black men is a Nigerian why can’t we have one in every four African aviator to be a Nigerian? If you take the position today, you will probably be talking of one in every one hundred aviator out of Africa to be a Nigerian”