Benjamin Okewu, ATSSSAN President

Martha Momoh

 
The National President of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Mr. Benjamin Okewu, has criticised ‘unprofessional stand’ by members of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) on issues affecting the aviation sector in the country.

In a statement issued by Okewu in Lagos said ATSSSAN was not interested in joining issues with NAAPE on its lazily and ill-researched assertions to the various positions canvassed by the apex civil aviation regulatory authority in Nigeria (NCAA) in its response to the referenced Report of the Dana and Allied Air crash.
He explained that ATSSSAN as a responsible stakeholder in the aviation industry would not fold its arms and allow neophytes, charlatans and gullible individuals in the industry to hide under the umbrella of professional associations to accentuate personal and nest-interest to destroy and balkanize the aviation industry in Nigeria.

On the propriety of the investigation conducted by the Joint Committee of the National Assembly into the Dana and Allied Air Crash, Okewu stated that ATSSSAN vehemently disagreed with NAAPE’s ceaseless attempts to robe the investigation with the garment of legality adding that ATSSSAN was embarrassed by the claim by NAAPE that the National Assembly had the power to investigate air accidents as part of its oversight responsibility and that NAAPE supported the investigation because professionals were involved.