Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, at the weekend assured stakeholders and union leaders of transparency and fairness in the concession of some airports in Nigeria.
However, despite the assurance from Keyamo, stakeholders especially the unions and retirees of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) are not convinced that the concession of the airports would be in their interest.
Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting on Friday, Keyamo stated that the unions would be carried along at every stage of the concession process.
Daily Trust reports that the concession of airports was a thorny issue in the previous administration which the unions fought tooth and nail with the then Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika to ensure it never saw the light of the day.
Four airports including the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State were slated for concession by the last administration.
However, it was gathered that the list has been expanded to include more airports in the proposed concession programme of the present administration.
Following the concern raised by the unions comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Keyamo stated that the unions would be actively involved in discussions concerning the concession of airports in the country.
“We will carry the unions along in the concession process. Their input is vital to ensuring that the interests of workers are protected,” he said.
Following the 14-day ultimatum, FAAN has also called for dialogue by the unions and stakeholders to achieve a “mutually beneficial resolution.”
Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah also reiterated that the Minister had directed immediate inclusion of the Unions’ representatives in the concession committee to ensure transparency, emphasizing that the unions get full information as the concession process is ongoing.
“FAAN remains resolute towards implementing her core values. The authority is also working with the Minister to maintain cordial relations with the Aviation Unions as continuous dialogue and understanding are better alternatives in addressing industrial issues,” Orah said in a statement.
Disquiet despite Ministerial assurance
The unions and retirees are calling for vigilance in the concession programme, warning against being subjected to the fate of the retirees of the Power Holding Company, Nigeria Airways, among other government corporations.
A retired Senior Management official of FAAN who spoke with our correspondent said the workers have every cause to worry over the new concession programme.
He said, “FAAN staff have been doing their work for decades and have garnered necessary experience and expertise. Who in Nigeria knows this work better than them? None.
“This was what happened to PHCN. Has generation, transmission and distribution of power improved? No and yet it is getting more expensive by the day.”
“The best Airport Management system for a developing Country is what we have in place right now. FAAN manages all the Airports with resources from the only four profitable International Airports. The policy before now is for State Governments to develop their own Airports and then hand them over to FAAN which maintains them to International Standards. This has helped tremendously to encourage Airport development and provide the only safe mode of transportation in the Country.”
“With the fragmentation they want to introduce through this selfish, unpatriotic and fraudulent concessioning, the states can’t guarantee maintenance of Airports to international standards. These are the same state Governments that can hardly pay Teachers Salaries and owe pensioners.”
Our 14-day ultimatum stand – Union
Speaking with our correspondent, General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Aba Ocheme said while the unions met with the Minister over the weekend over airport concession and other issues, the matter has not been dealt with extensively.
He said they got the assurance from the Minister to be carried along in all the discussions, they are yet to be convinced on the sincerity of the process.
“The airport concession is one very slippery ground, we didn’t deal with it in the expansive manner we would have wanted. We are now going to be engaged in all the various discussions. The assurance he gave us is that they have not reached any conclusion.”
On the ultimatum issued by the unions to embark on an industrial action if their concerns were not addressed, he said the ultimatum still stands since the unions had not held another congress to review their decision.
We say No to concession – Pensioners
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), FAAN Branch, Alhaji Ope Rasaq in a chat with our correspondent rejected the proposed concession. He however said the pensioners would come up with their position this week.