Chinedu Eze
Labour unions in the aviation industry have expressed their resolve to resist further demolition of office complexes of agencies located at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos by the federal government.
In order to force workers in the aviation agencies to relocate to Abuja, where new office headquarters have been built, the federal government had said that it would demolish the former headquarters of the agencies in Lagos, and use the land for hospitality and other businesses that would enhance the aerotropolis project of the government.
The unions, which severely criticised the demolition of the former headquarters of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), now the National Safety Investigation Board (NSIB), argued that the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika performed abysmally in the last eight years despite the “gigantic policies” unveiled by the government for the sector since 2015 it came to power.
The unions insisted that they would continue to vigorously kick against the planned demolition of the buildings until the government complied with the Labour Act on relocation of workers.
The workers who had gathered at the Freedom Square of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as early as 8a.m yesterday, carried different placards to press home their disaffection with the decision of the government.
Some of the placards read in part: ‘No to demolition of FAAN headquarters Annex,’ ‘F.G. stop the demolition of headquarters annex Lagos,’ ‘FAAN headquarters annex not for sale,’ ‘Build FAAN corporate headquarters,’ and ‘Demolition of FAAN headquarters is fraud,’ among others.
Speaking during the event, the General Secretary of the Air Transport Staff Senior Services of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Frances Akinjole, said that there was no any rationale for the planned demolition of FAAN office and others in Lagos.
According to him, the present administration had barely two months to exit office, yet demolition of aviation agencies topped its priority list.
Akinjole further described the planned action of the minister as unwarranted, warning that the unions and their members would not be taken unawares by the government’s plans.
Akinjole, however, said the unions were not against the planned demolition of the agency’s annex office in Lagos, but said the government must ensure the payment of the staff’s relocation allowances and other benefits accrued to them.
He also stated that the unions would protest every avenue by some people in government to convert government properties to their personal assets.
He noted that the space at the headquarters of the former Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), now Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, which was demolished for the expansion of the new international terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos terminal, was still empty a year after the exercise, decrying that most of its staff lacked office accommodation in Abuja.
Akinjole further observed that over 75 per cent of aviation activities happen in Lagos and wondered how the agencies would operate without office complexes in the state.
Also, Mrs. Safiya Araga of the Nigerian Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), accused the Minister of maltreating the aviation workers since he assumed office about eight years ago.
She insisted that there must be adequate provisions for the workers before they are relocated outside their present offices, while reiterating that the agencies’ offices would not be allowed to be demolished by the government.
She also called on the incoming government to take a serious look at the activities of the present government in the sector in the past eight years, alleging that the sector had been stagnant for almost a decade.
Also, General Secretary of Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Abdulrazaq Saidu, described the action of the Minister in the past eight years as illegal.
According to him, the failure of the Minister to constitute Board of Directors in the various agencies contravened the Acts setting up the agencies and the directive of the Presidency.
