Flight operations at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja have been disrupted following the two-day warning strike by aviation workers.
The strike, which commenced in the early hours of Monday, has led to the closure of the offices operated by the aviation agencies.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals as well as the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees on Friday issued a special bulletin to staff of aviation agencies nationwide to intimate them of a warning strike.
According to the leadership of NUATE, all operations at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency ( NiMet), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) would be grounded.
The union also said the strike will affect air traffic controllers, safety inspectors and other key safety personnel within the industry.
In compliance with the directive issued, staff of the agencies were prevented from entering their offices.
A source in NUATE who spoke said flight operation has been grounded.
The source said: “Currently, the union; NCAA, NiMet, NAMA and NCAT offices are under lock. So, no operations, even the control tower, there is no operation for now.
” As I speak with you now, all the staff including the cleaners are all outside. The gates leading to the offices are locked with chains and padlocks.
“Passengers are stranded because there is no flight operation until we get a directive but for now, no operation.
“Even the local flights need the weather forecast to move and as I speak with you now, I have not heard the sound of any aircraft. International and local flights cannot move because for any flight to move, they need a directive, they need to know the weather condition before they can move but as it is now, no staff is allowed to enter into the office so there is no way they can get the information to move because, in aviation, flying is not by assumption but by instruction.”
On the likely time to suspend their action, he said: “We need a directive from the union leaders, if there is an agreement between the government and the union, we will sheath our swords.”
