Aviation workers ground Kano flights, protest in Lagos, others

Protesting aviation workers shut Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Monday over a dispute between Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

Flights scheduled to leave Kano Monday morning inluding AZMAN and Max Air flights were reportedly disrupted as the Air Traffic Controllers suspended their operations which affected landing and taking-off of flights.

In Lagos and other airports, aviation workers also on Monday embarked on a peaceful protest over an “obnoxious” legislation seeking to prevent trade unions in the sector from demonstrations.

President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Ben Nnabue, said the protest was simultaneously taking place in all the airports in the federation.

He said the workers were demanding the removal of a clause in an act establishing aviation agencies that seeks to prevent trade unions from protesting.

President Muhammadu Buhari last week signed the new Civil Aviation Act into law out of the six aviation bills recently passed by the National Assembly.

But the unions said they found out that the new Act assented to contained provisions classifying aviation agencies as rendering essential services while empowering the minister to prohibit industrial action by the unions.

At a joint conference at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, they gave government a 14-day ultimatum from Monday to correct this or face a total shutdown of the sector.

General Secretary of NUATE, Ocheme Aba, who briefed newsmen, said the issue of proscribing union activities did not come up during the public hearings organised by the Joint National Assembly Committees on Aviation before the bills were passed.

The dispute in Kano between FAAN and NAMA started after the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association shut down air navigation services for flights over power supply to NAMA facilities and staff quarters that were disconnected.

It was gathered that on Friday that FAAN disconnected power supply to all NAMA staff accommodations due to non-payment of electricity bills.