…As union insists on 40% pay rise
The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika has assured aviation agencies’ workers of the implementation of the Conditions of Service (Cos) in the parastatals that are yet to be implemented.
Also the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has told the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in the aviation agencies and private organisations to gear up for the payment of 40 per cent salary increment approved by President Muhammed Buhari a few weeks ago.
The Minister in a press statement by Dr. James Odaudu, its Special Assistant on Media, assured the workers of his commitment to ensuring the implementation of the CoS for the workers in the agencies under the ministry’s supervision as agreed with the labour unions.
It will be noted that at least four out of the six aviation agencies are yet to implement the CoS for their workers.
According to the statement, the agencies are the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Agency (NCAA), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
Sirika expressed concerns over the frequency of workers’ strikes in the industry, which he decried has consistently disrupted operations at the nation’s airports.
He stressed that incessant strikes send wrong signals to the outside world about the safety of Nigeria’s airspace.
The Minister used the opportunity to congratulate the Nigerians workers in the sector for their daily contributions to the running and development of the industry.
According to him, the lofty achievements recorded in the nation’s aviation sector would not have been possible without the commitment and personal sacrifices of employees in the different segments of the industry.
Sirika particularly ascribed the “near total achievement” of the aviation roadmap to the understanding and cooperation of the workers and hoped that the remaining parts would be achieved within the short period before the handover to the incoming administration.
He restated the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari administration to the continued improvement of the welfare of aviation workers through regular training, enhanced pay packages, provision of working tools and conducive work environments.
Also, Comrade Ben Nnabue, the President of NUATE, in his May Day message to workers on Monday at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, told employers and agencies in the Nigerian aviation industry to gear up for the implementation of the 40 per cent salary increment as approved by Buhari.
He emphasised that the increase by the Federal Government would affect all spheres of the economies and lauded Buhari for the approval, and advised to take a cue from other ministers of the federation by preparing his handover note to the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, rather than pursuing his roadmap agenda in the twilight of this current administration.
Nnabue maintained that the government was continuum, saying that the workers expected Sirika at this time to prepare his handover note, rather than creating unnecessary “bad weather in the industry” when the government would eclipse in the next few days.
For instance, he said that workers expected the minister to stop the planned demolition exercise of some aviation agencies’ offices in Lagos for the aerotropolis project as claimed by the minister, stressing that there was no time left for the current administration to embark on such a massive project at this time.
Sirika had expressed his desire to demolish the office complexes of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), NAMA and NCAA for the aerotropolis project at the Lagos Airport.
But, this plan has been kicked against severely by the industry unions who about two weeks ago, staged a two-day warning strike, which paralysed activities in the sector, especially at the Lagos and Abuja airports.
Nnabue, however, advised the incoming government of Asiwju Bola Tinubu to carry out a forensic audit of the aviation roadmap projects of the past eight years, recast their general directions and re-present them for delivery.
Nnabue said: “But, it is ineluctable to advise the Hon. Minister of Aviation to join other ministers in preparing his hand over note for the next administration to continue from where he has stopped. Governance is a continuum, and there is no wisdom in creating unnecessary bad weather in the industry at the twilight of his service through unneeded posturing over sundry unfinished roadmap projects.
“In the above regard, I wish to humbly urge the incoming government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to carry out a forensic audit of the aviation road map projects, recast their general directions and re-present them for delivery. It is important to state that the road map projects are exceedingly vital to the growth of Nigerian aviation.
“Their delivery should therefore not be undermined. But we demand that the projects be re-molded to be of benefit to all stakeholders and to fit the needs of the industry and national interest,” he said.
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