National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) have distanced themselves from a recent statement calling for the privatisation of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

The two unions, in separate statements issued in Lagos, said the position did not represent their views.

NUATE, in a statement issued by its Deputy General Secretary, Odinaka Igbokwe, said the union was not consulted before the statement was released by the branch of the union in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The statement read in part: “NUATE completely and unequivocally dissociates itself from the statement.”

The national body has never taken a position supporting privatisation.

“The branch officer’s actions do not reflect our union’s constitutional stance. NUATE refuses to be dragged into positions that undermine national security. We believe government must further strengthen NAMA financially and structurally.

“NAMA remains the ultimate bulwark of our strength in Nigerian air safety. Air navigation is a critical, sensitive matter that must never be compromised. Air navigation controls the safety of our airspace. It must remain a public priority, not a commercial enterprise.”

Also, ATSSSAN rejected the same call for the privatisation or commercialisation of NAMA.

The union said the document signed by its branch executives in NCAA was neither authorised nor issued by its national leadership.