Two major Nigerian aviation unions, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) And the Nigeria Union Of Pensioners (NUP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch have reiterated their opposition to the ongoing process of concessioning four major airports in the country, noting that the concession agreements favour only the concessionaires.
The unions also kicked against the approval of five per cent FAAN’s Passengers Service Charge (PSC) to the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), while alleging that there are attempts to cripple operations of FAAN.
The unions’ positions are contained in a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, and dated 7th July 2017. The letter was jointly signed by Secretary General of ANAP, Comrade Abdul Rasaq Saidu and the NUP General Secretary, Comrade Emeka Njoku.
According to them, the anomalies in the concession agreements had been passed to the minister but nothing has been done to review it.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government is on the verge of concessioning four airports including the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) and Port Harcourt International Airport amidst opposition by aviation workers.
However, the unions insist the concession would cripple the activities of FAAN as 80 per cent of their revenues would go to the concessionaires.
The unions said, “We have vehemently told him (Aviation Minister) capital no because about 80% of FAAN IGR were forcefully put under the highly questionable concessional agreements by the former managements under the supervision of former Administration and we thought that with the change policy the Hon. Minister of State, Aviation should have upwardly reviewed these agreements upon his resumption”.
