By Jimoh Babatunde & Daniel Eteghe
LAGOS — Aviation workers, under the umbrella of the Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSAN have kicked against the appointment of the Director of Engineering, Nigerian Airspace Agency of Nigeria, NAMA, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh as the acting Managing Director of the agency.

The body led by its National President, Mr. Benjamin Okewu said the workers were not happy with the current leadership installed by the Aviation Ministry, adding that all workers of NAMA have written against the acting managing director and as a result there might not be adequate productivity.

Okewu said Aviation Minister, Ms Adaeze Stella Oduah, should appoint “leaders who have leadership quality and trust, somebody who can bring peace, progress in the industry and that can carry the workers along.”

He noted that the association did not have issue with the minister, but the government that had appointed non aviator, who it will take one and half years to understand the industry, stating that aviation sector is a sensitive industry.

The association also called on the Federal Government to review the concession and privatization policies in the aviation industry.

The workers spoke on the back drop of the intentions of the ministry of aviation to privatize the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), which according to ATSSAN is not in the list of the parastals to be commercialized.

Okewu stated that the Association is not happy with the plans of the ministry to commercialize the college. His words, “We will not allow that to happen. We will use all the forces  we have to fight it”.