Expert Raises Alarm Over Dwindling workforce in Aviation

*Tasks FG on CoS, airport concession

Except the necessary steps are taken, the aviation industry in Nigeria will be left with a dangerous vacuum in the workforce which may affect the system adversely.

Secretary-General of Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu who made the observation warned that the union is disturbed about the vacuum that will be created by the mass retirement of workers in the aviation industry.

Comrade Saidu who described the vacuum as a man-made problem pointed out that, those in the system have failed to promote workers that are due to be promoted while in office.

This evil he said, were perpetrated either by transferring these set of workers out or deliberately hiding their files.

Lamenting the situation, the labour leader said “All we are seeing is to employ 500, 1000 workers in different parastatals increasing their numerical strength in the name of empowerment. We can’t fold our arms and allow all these things to continue”.

Saidu also added that ANAP has vowed to pursue vigorously the issue of workers Condition of Service CoS (CoS) in 2022 to a conclusive end.

Speaking in an interview in his office at the FAAN yard on workers expectations in 2022, Saidu said the CoS has caused embarrassment to the unions and must be achieved this year in all the agencies in the sector.

Saidu expressed the hope that all the unions in the industry this year, will speak with one voice to actualise this goal, adding that it has lingered for too long.

He noted that the main duty of the unions was to protect the working conditions of their members.

“Conditions of Service is very important when you get approval, there must be a letter and by the Act, it’s the governing board of directors that is charged on day to day to approve the workers’ condition and promotion. It’s not vested in the ministry and the minister. He said in the absence of a board there will be an interim board. Where is the interim board? So, what is delaying them from writing letters and informing the chief executives of the state of the CoS “? Saidu asked.

He urged the Management of parastatals to appoint those that merit the appointment on the order of seniority and not to allow any vacuum.

Saidu advised the Chief Executives Officers of Aviation Agencies, not to encourage contract staff and also not to allow the retirees to come back as consultants.

He urged workers to be ready to fight for their rights this year as the unions were ready to protect them.

On airport concession, the ANAP scribe said it was a failed project as there was nothing to be concessioned at airports.

He queried if the minister will concession the Chinese terminals, adding that the minister always wants to be in the news to show that he was working.

He added that the concession arrangement will never work until the labour matters were resolved on concession by setting up the committee to discuss their issues.
Warning that the proposed concession should not be done like that of moribund Nigeria Airways, he said “To me, I don’t believe there will be concession because I only saw that the minister wanted to be in the news so that people will think he is working. How do you concession when you took a loan from China.
“We have presented our papers, we have met with the NASS, we have met with him and we told him but he is not listening and it’s not feasible. But we have told him, if you want to concession even if it’s Aso Rock, you can concession but people working there must be paid their entitlement”.

He said they have met more than three times to set up a committee on labour matters, insisting that those workers who have served to a certain period must be paid accordingly, while the cut off years of the pensioners must be taken care of.