Nigeria Aviation
Nigerian aviation workers protest government plan to concession airports
Arusha, Nigeria (eTN) – Nigerian aviation workers under the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) have raised their objection against the Nigerian government’s plan to concession the four international airports in the country.
The Nigeria government through Transportation (Aviation) Minister Felix Hyatt recently announced the government’s plan to concession the country’s airports, including Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Port Harcourt International Airport and Aminu International Airport, Kano.
The minister recently announced the government’s plan to give the running of the four international airports to private individuals. The minister said the intention is aimed at improving the facilities at the airports for the comfort of air passengers.
The workers on their part decried the planned concession with the fear that it will lead to job loss. During their protest march around Murtala Mohammed Airport, ATSSAN president Benjamin Okewu said what they agreed at the stakeholders meeting with President Umaru Yar’Adua that the “Federal Ministry of Aviation should put on hold the planned privatizations or concessioning or whatever agreement they have reached with anybody.”
According to Mr. Okewu, the president has even instructed that the man who bought the Abuja airport should be given his money back only for them to hear the minister say that the government has jettisoned privatization for concessioning.
The assistant secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Abdul Kareem Motajo, on his part said the intention of the workers was to embark on a protest to condemn the move to privatize the four airports. According to him, the government’s plan to privatize the airport without adequately preparing for the interest of workers will be resisted.
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