By Ibrahim Shuaibu
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) workers in Kano, alongside their two affiliated unions, on Tuesday embarked on peaceful protest over the plan by the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to concession the four major viable airports in the country.
Addressing the protesters, the Chairman of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Comrade Ahmed Lawal Fagge, who spoke on behalf of NUATE and NUP at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, said that the concession of the four viable/major airports would lead to the sack of 6,000 FAAN workers.
He said a cartel in government are only interested in buying the viable airports and concession them to Turkish investors.
Our correspondent observed that protesters carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Cartel in Government are interested in buying the four viable airports”, “Our airports cannot be sold in bits,” “Airport concession is economic terrorism and workers say no to Airport concession.”
The chairman also called on President Mohammadu Buhari not to succumb to the mindset of the Aviation Minister to concession the four viable airports, namely Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Kano.
It was also learnt the protest came as a result of the unanimous decision taken by national headquarters of their union over the proposed concession of the four major viable airports in the country.
