Former aviation minister, AVM Okpere advocates more funding, training of aviation personnel
By Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo
A former minister of Aviation, Air Vice Marshal Anthony Okpere (retd) has called for more funding of facilities and training of personnel to further enhance safety in the Aviation sector.
AVM Okpere who was the chairman of the occasion made this remark while speaking recently in Abuja at the just concluded Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the National Association of Air traffic Communicators (NACAN).
Speaking on the issue of shortage of personnel in the aviation industry, AVM Okpere noted that except the gap in the sector between those retiring and serving personnel was bridged, the industry will soon start experiencing problems.
According to him, unless the country spends money in acquiring equipment, the lives of people and that of the industry will be in danger.
“The job they are doing is so important, except they are to find a way to bridge that gap, we will soon have problems. We talk about modern means of communications, except we spend money, the lives of people and the industry is in danger,” he added.
The former minister of aviation pointed out that the work of air traffic communicators was very important but needed to be encouraged by providing them with necessary working tools and training.
He recalled that in 1988, ground to ground communication was recognised in the air space, adding that without adequate ground to ground communications that fall in line with modern ways of doing things, the country cannot go anywhere.
The AVM also recounted how he was appointed minister of aviation after it was carved out of the transport ministry, but lamented that no minister that came after has been able to consult him for clarifications on the certain issues in the ministry.
“The people I handed over tried to do their best but there were a lot of problems because there were certain things they did not understand that we put down. Being not aviators and not conversant with rules and regulations of aviation, no minister since then ever invited me to come to the ministry to explain the rationale behind any of the decisions taken.
“I decided to stay quietly on my own because you don’t pour water on the back of a stone, it doesn’t sink. My opinion does not matter, so, I keep myself shut,” he emphasized.
AVM Okpere also recalled in 1987 how the ministry took off with only three staff after he drafted the Decree that set up the various agencies in the sector that gave rise to the Federal Civil Aviation Authority.
He bemoaned that everybody has become expert in the industry especially when there was a plane crash, stressing that it has not augured well for the industry.
AVM Okpere called for fairness and professionalism in the recruitment of Aviation personnel adding that when they will start considering ethnicity, favoritism, it will be sacrificing competence for efficiency.
