Capt. Nogie Meggison wants the Federal Government to put in a place a proactive policy that will address the projected 500 unemployed Nigerian licensed pilots and engineers.

He also called for a policy that will check the influx of foreign pilots and engineers into the country, adding the number of unemployed pilots would have  increased from  the current 200 to an astronomical number when the over 100  student pilots’ sent to Jordan by the Kano State government would graduate  later this year.

Meggison, the Grand Patron of Nigerian Professional Pilots (NPP), who spoke in an interview in Lagos, said this is in addition to the 52 youths trained under the Federal Government Amnesty programme, as well as the fresh batches 100 graduating from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria and the 40 from International Aviation College (IAC), in Ilorin, Kwara State.

He pointed out that unless something is done fast, such development constitutes a disincentive to the growth and development of the Nigerian aviation industry.

In the same vein, Meggison, who is also Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) disclosed that over 400 Nigeria licensed aircraft engineers are in the labour market, appealing to the Federal Government to put in place an employment policy that would ensure these aviation professionals  are engaged by both indigenous and foreign carriers operating in the country .

He said although, some domestic carriers have done well by engaging some of the pilots but quickly pointed out that there still room for improvement.

He explained that what the Federal Government must do is to make an enabling policy to check the influx of foreign pilots and engineers into the country, adding that there are over 1,000 foreign pilots engaged by both local and foreign registered airplane flying in Nigeria.