Aviation Featured

Unions protest airport concession, sue minister, FAAN

Unions protest airport concession, sue minister, FAAN

Aviation workers’ unions have dragged the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to court over the planned concession of major airports across the country.

The workers’ unions comprising Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria; National Union of Air Transport Employees; Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUB-FAAN Branch) filed the suit in the Lagos division of the National Industrial Court on March 14,2023 through their lawyer, Funmi Falana of Falana and Falana Chambers, a series of court documents obtained by our correspondent on Thursday in Abuja revealed.

The workers noted that that the Sirika and FAAN do not have the authority to initiate a concession deal on the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt; Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory without the consent and authorisation of the Federal Government, the 36 state governments and the 774 local government councils.

The workers are seeking an injunction from the court to restrain Sirika and FAAN from privatising the airports.

“Restrain the defendants (Sirika and FAAN) from determining the employment of the members of the claimants without complying with the provisions of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Act (CAP F5) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Reviewed Conditions of Service 2021, in any manner, whatsoever and howsoever,” one of the court documents read.

Sirika in October 2022 formally unveiled the bidders for the Lagos, Abuja and Kano terminals, signifying the end of the Request for Proposals phase of the Nigeria Airports Concession Programme.

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Sirika said the bidders emerged after passing through set criteria designed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and guided by the National Policy of Public Private Partnership.

Related posts

Senate committee on special duties visits NEMA, advocates proper investment in disaster management   

Our Reporter

Independence anniversary: China honours 49 local employees

Our Reporter

No plan to withdraw naira notes from circulation, CBN clarifies

Our Reporter

Why we’re yet to resume flights to Dubai – Aviation Minister

Meletus EZE

Legislative aides issue 48-hour ultimatum over unpaid 2019 salaries

Our Reporter

Nigerian Correctional Service; Catholic Church urges FG to ensure full implementation

By Shile GIWA