Aviation unions embark on peaceful protest at Lagos Airport
Aviation unions, namely, Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, National Union of Air Transport Employee, NUATE, Association of Aviation Professionals, ANAP, and Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, airport branch, Monday embarked on a peaceful walk around the major roads at the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
The action, which is a directive from the national headquarters of the various unions, was programmed to take place simultaneously at all the country’s airport.
The unions are protesting the manner the current Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika is carrying out the concessioning of some of the country’s major airports without carrying the aviation workers unions along.
The unions are also protesting that some of their colleagues who were disengaged from service have not been paid their retirement and pension.
Members of the unions who started the peaceful walk from the ” Freedom Square ” at Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, headquarters moved round the Lagos airport carrying banners with various inscriptions like ” Concession of Airports lack Transparency”.
Others had ” Pay our Pension now “, ” Resolve MMA2 Concession Problem now ” and other inscriptions.
The walk caused traffic gridlock on some roads within the airport as vehicular movement was impeded. Passengers who had early morning flight had to trek to the various terminal to catch their flights.
Addressing the union members before commencing the march around the airport, One of the union leaders, Comrade Saidu, General Secretary, ANAP, told the crowd that, ” We shall never rest until the government and Aviation Minister listen to our demands. We have written series of letters to the minister expressing our reservation about the way he is going about the planned Concession”.
” You cannot be talking about Concession when the one earlier concessioned is still a subject of dispute in court”.
Recall the aviation unions have recently been engaged in series of dialogue with the federal government and Aviation Minister over the planned concessioning of some of the airports in the country.
They have expressed fears that some of their colleagues will lose their jobs in the process.
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