FG owes aviation pensioners N150bn – Unions
Aviation workers’ unions have accused the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria of failing to pay “severance benefits” to members of the unions and pension arrears owed former and present staff members of the agency.
The union, comprising the 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), said the indebtedness was estimated at over N150bn.
They disclosed this in an affidavit sworn at the National Industrial Court Holden in Lagos following the filing of a suit against the planned concession of major airports across the country.
The workers had earlier noted that Sirika and FAAN did 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, without the consent and authorisation of the Federal Government, the 36 state governments and the 774 local government councils.
The workers had sought an injunction from the court to restrain Sirika and FAAN from privatising the airports.
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.
