Following palpable apprehension that Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu might be concessioned, staff of the aviation industry, Federal Airport Authorities of Nigeria, FAAN, Friday embarked on a peaceful protest.
They said taking over of the Airport should not be done through the backdoor.
The workers who came out in their numbers in front of the local wing of the Airport, armed with placards with different inscriptions, said if for any reason the Airport should be concessioned, their welfare should be taken care of and the necessary facilities have to be out in place.
Some of the placards read as follows: “no due process, no concession; we say no to our airport concession; we say no to secret concession; resolve all labour issues before concession; expand the APRON for more aircrafts.”
The protesting workers said that in recent time, they have been seeing different strange faces coming to the Airport and looking at the facilities, an indication that something uncanny is in the offing, and for this reason they are afraid that there are plans to concession the place, a move they said had been in the offing for too long.
Addressing the protesting staff, the National Social secretary of National Union of Airport Employees, NUATE, Enyili Ezekwesili; Comrade Ken Igbokwe, NUANTE chairman, Enugu Airport and Chijoke Onyike, Chairman, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals,ANAP, said that though they were not against concession, the labour union leadership should be carried along before any concession will take place.
They pointed out that part of the reasons why the Airport is being considered for concession is because it is assumed unviable, but they insist that it is viable and challenged the authorities to make it viable by giving them intervention fund and to consititute a board of directors that would oversee the Airport.
The labour leaders therefore catalogued some grievances which if met, the concession would stand or the place would be turned around to be viable.
Some of the grievances include that all labour issues should be thrashed before concession.
“Labour disputes and employee concerns must be fully addressed before any concession is finalized. The welfare of our workers cannot be sidelined or ignored.
“We demand that all labour issues, including fair compensation, job security, and working conditions, be resolved before moving forward with any concession agreements. It is critical that our aviation unions are fully involved from the inception to the conclusion of the concession process.”
They also pointed out that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) requires a functioning Board of Directors to ensure proper checks and balances, adding that the absence of a board allows for unaccountable decision-making.
“We demand the immediate inauguration of the FAAN Board to oversee and monitor all activities, especially regarding concessions.”
They lamented that concession has never worked out well in Nigeria and urged the Federal Government to take proper care if the concession must take place since other airports in Lagos, Kano and Abuja were not concessioned.
“The concession process in Nigeria has often been associated with corruption, self-interest, and inefficiency. We reject any form of concession that is not in the best interest of the public and lacks accountability,” they declare.
