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FAAN, workers to dialogue over strike threat
From Abdullateef Aliyu, Lagos
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) are to enter into negotiations over the recent strike ultimatum issued the agency.
The association had given FAAN 48 hours to meet its demands or risk industrial action.
It wants FAAN to immediately reverse the approval granted Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), the operator of the Murtala Muhammed Airport domestic terminal (MMA2), to commence regional operation.
It said the deal should be reversed because the company allegedly refused to pay for services rendered it by FAAN, noting that it was from such revenue that workers are paid.
The General Manager, Public Affairs of FAAN, Yakubu Dati, however said the FAAN management was aware of the issues and had started initiating processes to handle them.
“Management has already initiated processes to address the issues raised. We believe however, that as a family we will resolve them amicably. FAAN sees the unions as partners in progress”, he told our correspondent.
ATSSSAN had in a letter dated November 26 signed by Rotimi Kehinde on behalf of the ATSSSAN general secretary and addressed to the managing director of FAAN, threatened to down tools over the issue.
Other demands include the immediate release of outstanding staff promotion and stagnation due to the lack of vacancy and payment of arrears of 27% balance.
They further urged the FAAN management to pay transfer allowance, hajj allowance, 28 days in lieu of hotel accommodation and medical claims. They also urged the management to clarify the status of PENCOM in FAAN on actuarial valuation of staff, the agreed N250 million monthly remittance and update on the current PENCOM audit report and ensure immediate payment of gratuities.
Fishermen catch huge Crocodile in Wamakko
From Rakiya A.Muhammad ,Sokoto
Fishermen in Kwakwalawa village, Wamakko LGA of Sokoto State at the weekend caught a huge crocodile from the river along Usman Danfodiyo University main campus road.
Nura Sarkin Ruwa, who caught the reptile with the assistance of seven other fishermen, told Daily Trust yesterday that they made the catch at a popular water point for herdsmen from Gidan Bubu and Dundaye districts.
“I got a report that there was something around that point and that it had started threatening canoe operators and herdsmen taking cattle and sheep there”, he said.
Nura said he spent three days observing the movement of the reptile.
After the close monitoring, the fishermen went for the reptile, he said.
Using a very strong and reliable fishing net called “Yawa”, they got the reptile and carried it to a house where they tied its mouth.
According to Nura, it was the second time he caught a crocodile in the same river.
He said in 2010 during the flood disaster that destroyed the bridge along the university road, he caught a smaller crocodile which they sold for N60,000.
The present catch which he said is three times bigger than the first, is expected to fetch them N180,000.
Many people visited Kwalkwalawa village to see the crocodile over the weekend. Those trooping to catch a glimpse were paying N20 per head.
“It could have migrated from a foreign land to the spot where the fishermen found it”, a visitor said, adding that the size of the crocodile showed that it migrated to Kwalkwalawa River.
Nura said they feed the crocodile with frogs and fish and regularly pour water on it to keep it cool.
Senate misinformed on air crash reports- AIB
From Abdullateef Aliyu, Lagos
The Accident Investigations Bureau (AIB) says the senate was misinformed on reports of previous plane crashes, refuting the allegation that the bureau failed to release past accident reports.
The bureau said its condemnation by the senate was unnecessary and unjustified.
It would be recalled that the senate had alleged that the bureau failed to release the accident reports of the Sosoliso crash of 2005, Bellview 2005, ADC 2006 and DANA crash of 2012 to the public.
Based on this, it mandated its Committee on Aviation to thoroughly investigate the remote and immediate causes of the trend and report its findings within two weeks.
But reacting to the position of the senate, the air accident body said when the issue was debated on the floor of the senate, the accident reports in question were already on the bureau’s web site- aib.gov.ng.
The statement signed by the bureau’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr Tunji Oketunbi, said the reports were available for any interested member of the public to access.
“The Sosoliso accident report which had been released since 2006 and published in the national newspapers has been on the bureau’s website for several years now. Bellview and ADC crash reports have been published and on our website since 2012 while Dana’s preliminary report has been published since July 2012. Other outstanding accident reports are being diligently pursued”, he said.
He added that a little research including a check on the agency’s website or the aviation committee of the senate would have made this debate unnecessary, adding that the senate Committee on Aviation was aware of the diligence and the passion with which AIB had been pursuing the delivery of its mandate.
He appealed to members of the public to always use the channels of communication that AIB has provided for the purpose of disseminating or accessing information.