By; AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna
The striking aviation unions on Tuesday, gave a seven-day ultimatum, after which to shutdown the airport, a procession to the international wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA).
The the first day of their two-day warning strike when they barricaded access roads, the security operatives also took over the venue of the protest where the unions converged on Monday.
The unions are made up of National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE); Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Employees (NAAPE) are demanding implementation of conditions of service, halt in demolition of aviation agencies’ offices in Lagos, payment of relocation allowances, among others.
The activities at all the agencies including the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) were paralysed as their offices were locked.
Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu, General Secretary of ANAP, who spoke at the MMIA assured that after seven days, they would go to a total shutdown, they will try to cut Nigeria away from other countries.
He added, “For eight years, conditions of service were not implemented. Sirika usurped the functions of the governing boards, there is no checks and balances.”
He explained that they wanted to coerce them to come to Abuja, but they didn’t go to the meeting, saying that no conclusions, no genuine meeting with the government.
On Monday, the Federal Ministry of Aviation had urged the workers to embrace dialogue rather than industrial action.
