Workers protest against FG’s plan to concession airports
August 23, 2016
Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja
Workers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Tuesday staged a protest against plans by the Federal Government to concession the facility as well as three other major airports across the country.
They also vowed to embark on subsequent protests, adding that they may be forced to shut down the country’s main airports if the government fails to renege its moves to concession the facilities.
The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, on several occasions had announced the Federal Government’s resolve to concession Nigeria’s four major airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.
Sirika had argued that the government lacked the required funds to improve the airports as expected, which was why it was important to concession the facilities as this would make them more efficient.
But workers under the aegis of the National Union of Air Transport Employees urged the Federal Government should avert the concession of the four main airports and focus on the dormant ones across the country.
The Chairman, NUATE, Abuja State Council, Mr. Lanre Popoola, while leading the protest at the NAIA, said, “We are not saying they should not concession airports, they should go to dormant airports like Minna. I wonder what Minna is doing with two airports.
“They should go to dormant airports like Gombe. Katsina, and Akure airports are there. They should go there and concession them.
“The Abuja, and Lagos airports, the four vibrant airports are the heritage of our nation. We are not going to allow some contractors, all in disguise of being a minister to come and sell our heritage.”
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