Unions in the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, have concluded plans to embark on a protest rally from next Monday across airports in the country as they remain vehement in their opposition to the planned concession of four major airports in the country.
This is despite the insistence of the Federal Government to concession the airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.
In a move that could disrupt flights operations, the unions comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees, (NUATE); the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (ATSSSAN) and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) said they are constrained to embark on the protest following the insistence of the Federal Government to go ahead with the concession.
Daily Trust reports that former Managing Directors and Ex-Directors of FAAN had, in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, restated opposition to the concession.
In a joint statement on Thursday, the aviation unions vowed to cripple airport operations on Monday.
They said there were several questions begging for answer which the Federal Government through the Aviation ministry was yet to answer.
The unions then directed all their members in the nation’s 22 airports managed by the Federal Government to begin the protest rally by midnight on Monday 21st.
They are asking for; “the immediate payment of all outstanding cooperative deductions, immediate payment of 13th month allowances and settlement of pension deductions”.
Others are; “payment of palliative to staff who worked during the COVID-19 lockdown, payment of leave grant, stoppage of all forms of employment into the organisation until concession issues are resolved, immediate repair of the Murtala Mohammed Airport Access gate facilities to improve and maximize revenue collection and no to any form of revenue points concessioning by FAAN Management.”
