The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and its ally, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) have given the Federal Government a 15-day ultimatum to halt its planned concession of the four viable airports in the country.
The three aviation unions, while giving the ultimatum at a joint news briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, threatened to shut down the aviation industry if government failed to accede to their demands.
The federal government had initiated moves to concession the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports to enable them meet international standards.
However, the General Secretary of NUATE, Mr Olayinka Abioye, said the ultimatum was the unions’ last resolve to force the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, to fully involve them in the concession process.
“Immediately at the expiration of the 15 days ultimatum, we are going to shut down the industry.“We want the minister to talk to us and share ideas with us on what they want to concession and how it will affect our members, “Abioye said.He maintained that previous concession agreements had not been beneficial as it had ended in series of litigations against the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) before various courts in the country.
Abioye added that the revenue collection points of FAAN such as toll gate, car parks, bill boards, fuel surcharges, shops and VIP
lounges were already under concession arrangements, adding that there was nothing left for the concession exercise.
He added that the unions were yet to be assured of the fate of the 6,285 staff and 4,124 pensioners of FAAN if the concession of the viable airports was allowed to proceed.
The three aviation unions, while giving the ultimatum at a joint news briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, threatened to shut down the aviation industry if government failed to accede to their demands.
The federal government had initiated moves to concession the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports to enable them meet international standards.
However, the General Secretary of NUATE, Mr Olayinka Abioye, said the ultimatum was the unions’ last resolve to force the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, to fully involve them in the concession process.
“Immediately at the expiration of the 15 days ultimatum, we are going to shut down the industry.“We want the minister to talk to us and share ideas with us on what they want to concession and how it will affect our members, “Abioye said.He maintained that previous concession agreements had not been beneficial as it had ended in series of litigations against the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) before various courts in the country.
Abioye added that the revenue collection points of FAAN such as toll gate, car parks, bill boards, fuel surcharges, shops and VIP
lounges were already under concession arrangements, adding that there was nothing left for the concession exercise.
He added that the unions were yet to be assured of the fate of the 6,285 staff and 4,124 pensioners of FAAN if the concession of the viable airports was allowed to proceed.
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