Workers in
the aviation sector and representatives of trade and labour unions on Saturday
protested against the handover of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) to
Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Nigeria Ltd.
The workers were employees of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),
the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management
Agency (NAMA).
The Deputy National President, National Union of Air Transport Employees
(NUATE) and spokesman for the protesting workers, Aturu Samuel said they are "protesting
against the purported handing over of the GAT to Bi-Courtney without any due,
legislative or legal process."
Mr. Samuel said that Bi-Courtney had no legitimate right to operate the
terminal.
He also said that the company was only given the right to run the Murtala Muhammad
Airport 2 (MMA2).
"The concession agreement did not give them the ownership of GAT," he said. "We
are not happy with the manner and way the minister of aviation is handing over
the terminal to Bi-Courtney without proper investigation into the issue".
Abdulrazaq Saidu, the General Secretary of the Nigerian Aviation Professionals
Association (NAPA), said the concession agreement which gave Bi-Courtney the
right to operate MMA2 need to be reviewed.
"We are all kicking against the handover of GAT to Bi-Courtney because
the procedures and processes have not been complied with," he said.