As President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commissioned the newly built terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch has hailed the President for giving a new face to airports across the country thus aiding passenger facilitation.
However, the group reiterated its demand on the Federal Government to back down on the planned concession of the airports.
Before the commissioning of Abuja airport today, the President had earlier inaugurated that of Port Harcourt International Airport while those of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport will soon be completed.
The four new terminals were constructed via the concessionary loan from the China Exim Bank.
Speaking with Daily Trust on the commissioning, the President of NUP, FAAN branch, Alhaji Razak Ope insists that concessioning the four new terminals is not the best for the sector.
It noted that the biggest and most profitable airports in the world especially in the United State of America (USA) are owned and operated by government.
It will be recalled that the minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, had said the four new terminals would be concessioned for a period of about 30 years for increased profitability and efficiency.
But the NUP which has stood its ground on opposing the concession especially over fear of job losses, said concessioning is against the principle of greatest good for the greatest number of people.
He added that taking the management of the airports from the purview of FAAN as is the case presently would lead to decimation of trained and experienced staff as happened with the defunct Nigeria Airways and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
“Notwithstanding, we are still appreciating the President for completing most of the projects in aviation, we also thank him for the payment of pensioners of Nigeria Airways”, he said.
