Tuesday, February 9, 2010 19:58

The airport unions want to take their protest beyond carrying placards.

Aviation unions warn international affiliates not to fly into Nigeria

By Okechukwu Nnodim

Preparatory to a planned strike, two Nigerian aviation unions on Tuesday disclosed that they have warned their foreign associates not to fly into the country as from today, stressing that any aircraft that flies into Nigeria will do so at its "own peril".

The unions, composed of employees of various agencies at the airport, are the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN).

"The situation tomorrow (today) will be too bad, it will be just too bad tomorrow in the industry," Sefiyanu Mohammed, the NUATE president, said, on Tuesday, at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

"We have now informed all our international affiliates including WFTU (the World Federation of Trade Union), ITF (the International Transport Forum), as well as others that no aircraft should fly into Nigerian airspace, if they do that, they do it at their own peril."

Mr. Mohammed said that the union is not going back on its decision to embark on an indefinite strike.

"With the kind of reactions that I am seeing from members, I don't think the Union will compromise its stand. That will never happen. You will see it with your eyes," he said.

The president of ATSSSAN, Benjamin Okewu, last Sunday, declared that employees in the aviation sector will begin the strike today.

The unions are protesting against the handover of the General Aviation Terminal at the Murtala Muhammed Airport to Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, stressing that the handover is not legal and not included in the concession agreement signed between the Federal Government and the company.

Also, Mr. Mohammed accused Bi-Courtney of not being in the registry of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

"Bi-Courtney is not in the register of the CAC," he said. "We went further to investigate, and we have confirmed from CAC that it is not there.

"What Nigerians need to know is that the court judgment about Bi-Courtney and FAAN was just a declarative judgment.

"So if Babalakin or Bi-Courtney wants to take over GAT, they should go to the same court and seek for an executive judgment that will now handover the building to them formerly. So what I am trying to say is that it is like the Minister is acting on a script. And we are not going to leave it unchallenged," he added.

Babatunde Omotoba, the Minister of Aviation, who held meetings with the union leaders on Tuesday, declined to comment on the handover of the terminal and the planned strike.

"I am not going to say anything for now," he said.

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Reader Comments (15)

Posted by Sunday on Sep 23 2009

It is a shame that we have a snail as the President of the country. It is time to mobilize all Nigerian for change.

Posted by Francis Daniels on Sep 23 2009

Babatunde Omotoba found it very easy to chide airlines for reducing their fares, yet his mouth is now sealed when confronted with the consequences of his and his government's greed. I have always said this man is a MAP-"Mistake Already Happening". If not, how will omotoba explain the whole issues being raised about the company he concessioned the airport to?

Posted by jamjam on Sep 23 2009

still not able to seperate politics and the safety of human lives. if you can understand, politics is nothing but a deity game while aviation is far beyond that--the point of interest in the aviation is human lives safety. how can you let nigerian aviation industry compete with rest of the world with this union of a thing; a union that behaves as if its memebers are just bunch of poorly ariented aviators...? rest of the world are fighing toward imporving navigational facilies at airports and en route while you guys are still fighing about the airport mamanagemanet?how can you restore confidence in the heart of passengers who want to fly in and out of the country? have you ever heard any country that put flight prohibition into the entire country if not for a security reason...? yours is nothing but a selfish interest that will do great harm to the nation's aviation industry. DONT TO YOU REMEMEBER THAT A COUNTRY LIKE NIGERIA DO NOT HAVE A SINGLE AIRLINE THAT CAN FLY INTO SOME AIRSPACES LIKE US AIRSPACE. PLEASE DEAR LET YOU GIVE WANT YOU HAVE OUT OF YOUR KNOWLDGE TO MAKE STRONGER AVIATION IN NIGERIA NOT JUST TO CONTINIOUSLY BE CAUSING CHAOS.

Posted by Nike on Sep 23 2009

What do you expect from a people who do not cheer progress - they would rather spoil the image of the country by washing their dirty linen outside. Bring the Aviation industry to a halt - both local and foreign because of the management of only one airport. Can only hsppen in NIGERIA!

Posted by Adedamola on Sep 23 2009

The union is acting childishly! In this modern age, you decide to halt aviation activities of a nation just because of a stupid grudge with management of airport, cant you use some other means to resolve this? Now, its so clear that some people just want to run down this country. We blame our leaders but we do the worst part too. The president of ATSSSAN and the rest of the unions leaders should remember that their names will be on books for their actions likewise the minister of aviation, Babatunde Omotoba, the Minister of Aviation. Why do you make the innocents suffer for your greedy,selfish,good for nothing and political aim. May God deliver the citizens of this country from the selfish and ruthless leaders (Unions and Ministers)

Posted by sylvia on Sep 23 2009

As usual, Nigerian comedy at its best...yellow vests over agbada...animal farm.

Posted by ozoro on Sep 23 2009

What do these unions want? continue to be settled by government, continue to exercise the 'agbero' power like motor park touts. According to the union 'bi-courtney' is not registered in CAC - BIG CRIME (if true). MMA2 may have a few problems but it runs better than any airport has EVER run in Nigeria even when MMA1 was brand new. As usual poor foot soldiers of the Union will be the victims of their so call Labour Leaders seeking to make individual names for themselves. Go on Unions disrupt the whole nation's economy to show us your power.......

Posted by Ex-Pat on Sep 23 2009

I was wondering who was the boss of Bi-Courtney, so I did a little hunting and find out that he is Wale Babalakin presidential adviser to President Yar’Adua. What a surprise!

Posted by sope on Sep 23 2009

Omotoba and his fellow cohorts when the going was good with Arik airplane right behind them. One must wonder what turned the love sour? Naija, we hail thee!

Posted by Millionaire on Sep 23 2009

Na wa for this Nigeria o! I am surprised at Nigerians who can't even see the truth. Compare MMA2 to the GAT and decide which one you'll prefer to use. The Nigerian govt has failed in her duties so let us move all the impt departments to private firms. NITEL. PHCN, WATER CORPORATION and the like should be moved to private firms. Bi-courtney has done well so far, let ARIK or the UNIONS bid for the concessioning if they can fund it. The last time i was at the GAT i refused to fly through the place with the rowdiness and confused environment, i had to go to MMA2 because my life is very precious to me. I understand the unions being afraid for their jobs. Let govt discuss with Bi-courtney and let them absorb the workers still ready to work. We can't continue this mediocrity in this country and expect to improve as a country. SIMPLE

Posted by iyke on Sep 24 2009

Privitization, concessionning, etc. are quite ok but the system as well as the procedures must be fair and tranparent. If you have access to the Bi-Courtney agreements you will weep for this nation - Nieria. The agreement was prepared by the company itself and supervised by their god fathers in Abuja (OBJ) with no input from FAAN (who only signed as a witness). It was prepared to inhibit any form of development within the so called mma2. The way out - FAAN needs to be autonomous as it has all it takes to run the airports professionally and to an international standard. Interference from Abujs is just so annoying irrespective of whatever the Standard and Recommended Practices(SARP) says. God will help us....

Posted by EKE NNAWUIHE(INDONESIA) on Sep 24 2009

HOW COME NOTHING SEEM TO WORK IN THIS COUNTRY???ARE WE COURSED??.........ARE WE DEVILS??....ARE WE DESTINED FOR DISTRUCTION?.......GIVE THE TERRITORY CALLED NIGERIA TO THE WHITE MAN FOR JUST 5 YEARS............AND WE WILL BE FIGHTING TO GET NIGERIAN VISA..........NIGERIA IS A BLESSED CONTRY,BUT IT'S PEOPLE ARE A CURSED GENERATION...........

Posted by Habib on Sep 24 2009

I hope the union will not compromise their stand

Posted by charles on Sep 24 2009

YARADUA GO HOME GET OUT OF THE WAY GET OFF OUR BACKS SO THERE CAN BE PROGRESS!!!!!

Posted by Ekene Unegbe - Sudan on Sep 26 2009

We have to give some form of credit and or support to the aviation unions for standing against the government when they come up with all these fraudulent schemes to rubbish our dignity as a country, something seriouse has to be done about the state of the Nigerian aviation industry, imagine liquidating our national carrier for no viable reason so that their personal airlines(Virgin Nigeria / Arik Air) can feast on the so called national cake for free ,and how airlines like KLM, British airways, Airfrance etc. fly daily and frequently with wide body aircraft into all our international airports yet takes away revenue back to their country daily, we allow them insult our BASA(bilateral airspace agreement)yet they are strict on Nigerian registered airlines flying into thier own countries. Every aviation minister comes in and fosters the desires of some so called powerful people to kill the system piece by piece. We should be aware of the story behind GAT 2 and the airport hotel which might take another 10 to complete, the selling of the international airport car park etc. We would all wake up one morning and have to pay for entering the airport, breathing air in the airport and pay for walking the grounds there off.