Confusion as FG sacks 22 directors at FAAN

There was confusion at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),  on Wednesday evening, when the news filtered in that over 22 directors and general managers at the organisation, have been relieved of their jobs.

While all the directors, except one, have been asked to go, some general managers were demoted, even as others whose appointments were faulted were also asked to go.

According to the   information gathered Wednesday evening, officials from the Ministry of Transport, stormed the organisation to effect the exercise.

Prior to   the exercise, a  letter was earlier issued from the Ministry of Transport for the demotion of some of the  workers.

The government is said to be worried that FAAN’s overhead cost is about N800 million monthly.

The demotion exercise and the sack at FAAN , was as a result of  a petition written to the then Ministry of Aviation by  unions, who complained that some personnel were unjustly placed in the agency.

The petition led to the formation of a committee headed by the Head of Servic(HoS), Winniefred Oyo-Ita, while the president, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Benjamin Okewu, was a member.

The committee, which carried out ‘Operation show your certificate’, in the course of the exercise, discovered that  some  workers, who were brought into the system, did not have the required certificates and experience to hold  critical positions they were given.

After the exercise, it was gathered that the committee recommended “proper placement of staff in FAAN, ” and also found out that some of them had no letters of employment.

Also on the card, is the plan by the government to  reduce  the number of directorates in the aviation agencies in its restructuring exercise.

Some  workers spoken to across the agencies, who confirmed the development, however ,expressed  the fears that this may be the beginning of  a problem in the sector under the current  administration .

As at the time of  filing  this  report, though, the sack letters have been prepared but  information gathered  indicated  that  the officials will start distributing the letters from today( Thursday.)

It will be recalled that the sack ought to have taken place earlier in June, but was suddenly  suspended .