Internal Crisis Erupts in NAAPE over NCAA, NAMA Contest on 5% TSC Sharing Formula

An internal crisis is brewing within the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) over the allocation of funds from the five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), a revenue stream generating billions of naira annually.

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At the outset, we wish to state categorically that the article published by the NCAA Branch was exactly what it was presented to be: the position of the NAAPE NCAA Branch. At no point was it described, presented or represented as the official position of the National Executive Council, the National Administrative Council or the National Association as a whole.

The National Assembly is reviewing the TSC sharing formula among five aviation agencies. The proposed changes include reducing the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority's (NCAA) share from 56% to 40% and increasing the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency's (NAMA) share from 22% to 40%. This potential reallocation has created a significant rift between the two agencies.

The NAAPE NCAA branch issued a statement warning that a reduced share for the NCAA would jeopardize its ability to effectively regulate the industry and potentially compromise air safety. However, the national body of NAAPE countered this, stating it does not oppose the reduction in the NCAA's percentage from the TSC.

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Every publication clearly identified its source as the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), NCAA Branch, and was duly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Branch. There was therefore no attempt, whether directly or indirectly, to attribute the publication to the National Body.

Despite the national body's position, the NAAPE NCAA branch reiterated its earlier stance. In a subsequent statement, signed by its Chairman and Secretary, the branch insisted that the NCAA's statutory 56% share from the TSC must remain untouched. The branch clarified that its publication represented its specific position and was not an attempt to attribute it to the national body. They emphasized their constitutional mandate to protect the interests of the NCAA, where their members work, particularly concerning issues directly affecting the authority's operational capacity and safety oversight functions.

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Indeed, the Constitution of NAAPE could not have been clearer. Article 3.6.6 provides that the Branch Executive Committee ‘shall provide leadership at the level of the organisation, ensure total unionisation of all eligible members in