NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

By Lateef Lawal, Lagos, Nigeria. Aviation workers in Nigeria are set for a show down with the Federal Ministry of Aviation over the alleged hand over of the General Aviation Terminal(GAT),Ikeja, Lagos to Bi-Courtney Aviation for management. The workers, who were unhappy about the deal has vowed to embark on total strike as from 12mid-night today as they finalised plans to shut down Nigeria's airspace to both local and 'international flights.In addition and to make the strike effective, the National President of the Nigerian Union of Air Transport Employees(NUATE),Comrade Safiyanu Dauda Mohammed said workers have unanimously agreed that there would not be 'Fire Cover' for any airline that would want to violate the 'No Flight' into Nigeria warning. Safiyanu said all the international bodies such as the International Transport Federation(ITF) and others have been informed likewise. Following the strike alert issued by the workers made up of members of NUATE and those of the Air Transport Senior Senior Staff Association Of Nigerian (ATSSSAN), the Minister of Aviation,Babatunde Omotoba held a closed door meeting with the leaderships of the two labour bodies at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos office of the union to broker a peace deal but to no avail. Instead, the Minister was told that the issues at stake were that the concession granted Bi-Courtney was not transparent as there were no bidders aside from this company against the laid down regulations and also that worhers fate in the new deal was shrouded in secrecy without carrying the workers along. Comrade Safiyanu said they don't want to be caught in the web of what happened to the liquidated Nigeria Airways four years ago adding"till today workers pay-off package is yet to be settled".The Minister was informed at the meeting that the union discovered that the company in question was not even registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC), and wondered how an illegal entity was awarded the conession contract.When the minister came out of the meeting,he parried journalists' questions on the outcome of the meeting held with the labour leaders, saying, "I don't have anything to say". However, Safiyanu who spoke with journalists said,there was no agreement reached with the minister and as such they will be embarking on the nationwide strike on Wednesday, 23, September,2009. However, the Chairman of Bi-Courtney,Chief Wale Babalakin said the claim of the workers was unfounded and out of place in the company's determined efforts to provide modern infrastructure and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.He assured that the handover of the controversial will not in any way lead to job losses as alleged.Babalakin assured that" the concerns of various aviation unions and other industry stakeholders are being addressed by Bi-Courtney in consultation with relevant bodies".Meanwhile, activities, were partially disrupted at the local wings of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja as the workers in their hundreds staged trekking-protest on the crisis while awaiting the outcome of the meeting between their leadership and the Special Adviser to President Yar'Adua, Sarki Muktar on ways at ending the crisis. Depending on the outcome of the meeting,the Assistant Secretary-General of one of the unions, Comrade Abdul-Karim Motajo of NUATE said the workers were set for a complete shut-down of the country's airspace.