Determined to express their displeasure over the concession of airports in the country, workers of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Monday staged a peaceful protest at the domestic terminal of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), over plans to concession four major airports in the country.
This was just as the aggrieved aviation workers, kicked against the government’s directive to return all staff that retired from April 1, 2014, to PenCom.
It would, however, be recalled that members of the Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Union of Air Transport Employee (NUATE), and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) had set aside Monday the 31st to embark on the peaceful protest to register their displeasure on the government position.
The protesters went around the airport holding placards with different inscriptions, singing solidarity songs against the plan.
However, the chairman of Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Hassan Aliyu insisted that the concession plan will force many staff on retrenchment, while the future of those retired may not be assured.
According to him, the procession was organised to reject in totality the planned conversion of their staff to contributory pensions.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government earlier declared its readiness to transfer the terminal building, toll gates and non-aeronautic areas to private operators in a public-private enterprise.
Aliyu cited the concession plan of Murtala Muhammad (MM2), Lagos and the defunct NEPA, which he noted failed to yield the desired positive result, but rather crippled the carrier and sent retirees to their early grave.
He said workers are satisfied with the traditional pension scheme being operated by FAAN and would rather not succumb to any forceful attempt to return aviation workers to PENCOM.
He hinted that the workers were available to sit with the government to discuss better ways of concessions.
Domestic flight operations were, however, not affected by the peaceful protest as passengers were seen boarding their respective flights.
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