*Nigerian Ministry, FAAN, B-Courtney & Arik Air Indicted By Report
By Lateef Lawal
The leadership of the labour unions in the aviation industry, National Union of Air Transport Employees(NUATE)and Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association of Nigeria(ATSSSAN) threatened to call out workers and shut down the airspace on September 23, 2009 to protest what they called the illegal and non-transparent handover of the Terminal of Lagos Airport to Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd.
They were irked especially with nobody talking about the welfare of the FAAN staff that are likely to be affected in some of them are laid off in the event of the full execution of the concession by Bi-Courtney. The tension generated by the workers threats and several street protests led to the invitation to a round table conference of the union leaders by the presidency.
After listening to all the parties from the Ministry, FAAN, Bi-Courtney, Unions, Justice Ministry, published below are the abriged highlights of the reports and recommendations written by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Aviation. Though, it was learnt that the president rejected most of what were contained therein, we are however reproducing the document for record purposes and against the backdrop of the intervention of the House of Representative Committee on Aviation, on Monday 19,2009 where all parties were directed to maintain the status-quo and also withdraw all cases arising from the issues at hand from the courts to give room for amicable settlements. All parties are to report back to the House Committee on Aviation in two weeks time. ***(Editor's Note)
INTERIM REPORT ON THE LABOUR CRISIS AT THE LAGOS AIRPORT
BY-CAPTAIN SHEHU USMAN IYAL(OON),SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANT
TO THE PRESIDENT
Observation:
(a) Officials of both the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) were extremely tardy and unprofessional in the handling of the handover of GAT to Bi-Courtney Aviation Services. their actions or inactions gave the workers the impression that government was being stampeded into relinquishing the GAT to Bi-Courtney.
(b)The workers are genuinely concerned about their future, especially their severance benefits having worked for FAAN for several years.Neither FAAN nor the Federal Ministry of Aviation offered them assurances that would have calmed their anxiety and frayed nerves.It was this breakdown in communication that led to the protests by the aviation workers.
(c)The management and staff of Arik Airline(which operate from GAT) were equally not well informed and manged by the concerned aviation authorities.They were simply given hours to pack.In all fairness, that was most unprofessional given the huge logistics that such movement would usually entail.The airline panicked and began making statements in the media that were unnecessary.These panicky measure measures by the Arik mangement exacerbated the tension.
(d)Dr Wale Babalakin,Chairman,Bi-Courtney Aviation Services also did not help matters.By his actions and utterances,he created the impression that there was a victor and a vanguished in the GAT handover.It should not be so.He ought to have shown maturity and sensibility by reaching out (without government's involvement) to other stakeholders,even if it meant little concession here and there.
Recommendations:
(a)That the officials in FAAN and the Federal Ministry of Aviation that mishandled the GAT transfer would need to be cautioned against such future assignments.
(b)The continuing refusal by both Bi-Courtney and Arik Airline to fashion out a working relationship endangers national security, both firms should be given a definite ultimatum to sit down and agree on how they can work together at the Lagos Airport without endangering the national interest.I make this recommendation conscious of the fact that both firms are huge employers of labour and have both made colossal investments in the nation's aviation sector.
(c)The Federal Ministry of Aviation and FAAN should speedily convince not just the aviation workers, but Nigerians as a whole that the handover of GAT to Bi-Courtney Aviation followed due process.In particular, all necessary documents to this effect should be given to the union leaders and possibly the press.
(d)The future of the protesting workers must be addressed by both FAAN and the Federal Ministry of Aviation and assurances given about the severance entitlements.Their apprehension actually stemmed from the shoddy manners disengaged members of staff of the defunct Nigeria Airways were treated.
Posted by Lateef Lawal
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