Indigenous pilots, engineers back NASS on local content law.

As the National Assembly mulls the idea of making local content law for the aviation industry, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has said the association supports the idea by the National Assembly, describing it as a right step in the right direction.
The body stated this in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Bunmi I. Gindeh, and made available to journalists at weekend at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.
Gindeh said that NAAPE was happy because when enacted, it would make it compulsory for both local and international airlines to employ Nigerian pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers.
“They are overjoyed with the statement of intention of the President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria with regard to an impending Aviation Local Content Act.”
We are particularly happy that the intended Act will make it
mandatory for Local and Foreign Airlines to engage Nigerian Pilots and Aircraft Maintenance Engineers.
We consider this statement to be a monumental bright spot in the life of this assembly which will be greatly celebrated when actualised.”
Accordingly, he said NAAPE supports   the National Assembly towards the realisation of this laudable project, as well as an unshakeable commitment to seeing it through, adding that NASS can count on the co-operation and partnership of NAAPE in all material respect to the project, particularly in the aspect of technical information and materials.
In the same vein, NAAPE has equally commended the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Kingsley Kuku for facilitated the training of 66 pilots and 61 aircraft maintenance engineers, adding that this effort will definitely help in bridging the gap of availability of trained manpower in the country.
He appealed to the Federal government to endeavour to use the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria, which has standard training facilities and manpower for training of pilots and Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs).
The PRO said that this will, in no small measure, help the institution with highly needed funds for development as well as mitigate capital flight, not to talk of the cost saving element.