NAAPE Calls For Proper Aviation Funding

President of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has called for the proper funding of the aviation sector as a means to boost the nation’s economy and facilitate development.

Balami Isaac David, while reacting on the N500 billion bailout funds provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to support critical sectors of the economy including the aviation, explained that if the bailout fund allocated to aviation is too small, nothing tangible could be done with it.

He said that the N1 billion allegedly proposed for each of the Nigerian-owned airlines is clearly insufficient, considering the realities of financing the aviation industry in Nigeria today.

The NAAPE President, therefore, canvassed for nothing less than N200 billion out of this bail out fund to be applied to strengthen the airline business in the country.

David opined that without the aviation being properly funded and supported, other sectors of the economy will be affected and national development stunted, pointing out that the nation’s economy would be better for it.

He appealed to the CBN and other concerned government stakeholders in the matter to urgently consider the need to adequately fund aviation from the bailout fund.

“The nation’s economy will be better for it, as aviation is a critical success factor to reposition the economy to achieve its vision 20:2020 ambition”, the NAAPE boss declared, adding, “let me direct your attention to the success story of several Middle East countries such as the United Arab Emirate (UAE), Saudi Arabia and even tiny Qatar that have invested heavily over the past two to three decades to bring their local aviation sector to world class standards”.

According to him, there are very small countries compared to Nigeria with a population of over 150 million, noting that Dubai today, is one of the emirates that make up the UAE and boasts of the world’s largest cargo airport.