Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, has said the agency was unable to engage experienced professionals for effective industry oversight due to the subpar pay structure.

Nuhu, however, noted that efforts were underway to have the organisation removed from the public sector.

Nuhu made the disclosure at the closing ceremony of the International Civil Aviation Organisation Air Services Negation Event, in Abuja.

On how the agency will help improve the numeration for their staff, Nuhu said: "That's a very important issue the industry has raised. They are the ones that suffer the most when we do not have adequate staff to cater for the services they require from us.

"Several ICAO documents recommendations reveal that inspectorate division, inspectors and all those serving the industry are supposed to earn at least the same with the people they are overseeing but the NCAA being a public sector organisation is under the civil service rules.

"We are communicating with the relevant authorities, the Ministry of Aviation and National Assembly, so that we can see how NCAA can be removed from the public service sector.

"It's a long process but we are speaking to industry experts to seek their experience and advice, so that we can attract younger people in the right number and the best quality, so that our services to the industry will significantly improve.

"Right now, we have suffered, I can give you an example of a very good experience.

"As a flight operation inspector, you need a very experienced captain to work with, nobody will leave an island to come to work for the NCAA and earn 20 percent of the salary they earn as an airline pilot," Nuhu said.