Passengers, workers evacuated as fire guts Lagos airport

There was panic on Wednesday morning at the Murtala Muhammed airport, Lagos, following a fire incident in the international wing of the airport.
The fire outbreak reportedly occurred 7.50am at Terminal 1 of the airport, located in Ikeja, Lagos.
Thick smoke was reportedly seen coming from the basement of the terminal building.
This led to a prompt evacuation of passengers and airport personnel from the building.
The incident had affected some of the airport’s operations before the arrival of firefighters mobilised to contain the fire.
Director Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, said, “Promptly responding to the situation, the dedicated firefighters from the Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport initiated immediate action.
“Their swift response and professional efforts have successfully brought the situation under control.
“In accordance with our unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of passengers, staff, and all airport users, the terminal building was promptly evacuated due to the smoke that had permeated some areas of the facility.
“We are pleased to report that the situation is presently under control.
“FAAN remain committed to her core values of safety, security and comfort.”

Don’t allow Arik Air to die, pilots, engineers beg FG

The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has appealed to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to Arik Air from a total collapse.

It called for continued investment in the airline’s operations, saying this would help to create jobs and boost the economy.

NAAPE made the appeal in a statement issued on Tuesday signed its Chairman Mudi Muhammad.

It said AMCON’s intervention in Arik seven years ago was to protect the airline and save hundreds of jobs.

It said the airline has stood the test of time since then but still has several challenges that need to be addressed.

NAAPE specifically called on AMCON to support Arik to get more aircraft into its fleet, saying this would help the airline to dominate the aviation industry once again.

Part of the statement read, “As NAAPE, we know AMCON’s intervention in Arik about seven years ago was to protect the airline and save hundreds of us from losing our jobs.

“We can tell you categorically that in the last seven years of AMCON’s take over of Arik, the airline has stood the test of time.

“So, we totally understand that Arik survived because of AMCON unlike what some people wanted us to believe at the time. Before AMCON stepped into Arik, pensions, allowances, and staff salaries, were not forthcoming and the airline was on the verge of total collapse because of its huge debt burden.

“Indeed, AMCON has tried but Arik still has several challenges, which we want the management of AMCON led by Ahmed Lawan Kuru OFR to address through Kamilu Omokide, the receiver/manager who is also doing his best based on the support he gets from AMCON.

“We are here to plead that AMCON should support Arik to get more aircraft into its fleet, and as professionals who are passionate about our job, we want you to watch Arik dominate the aviation industry once again.
“We are making this appeal because apart from providing and sustaining jobs in the country, Arik is a great training ground for the aviation sector, which is critical to the growth of the Nigerian economy.”

Muhammad applauded the airline’s professionalism and zero accident record for over 16 years of its operational existence.

The NAATE chairman urged AMCON to “not let Arik die” because of the number of jobs that would be lost and the negative ripple effects it would have on the economy.

Flashback
In February 2017, Arik Air was taken over by the Federal Government via AMCON due to the company’s huge debt profile, which was over N300 billion.
The government dissolved the airline’s management team and appointed a receiver manager.

Air travel faces threat as aviation workers begin strike today

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has directed all its members in the aviation logistics companies in Nigeria to begin strike on Wednesday (today) over poor working conditions.

NUATE’s General Secretary, Ucheme Aba, in a circular, gave the directive.

He said the union had exhausted all other options to resolve the lingering crisis over extreme impoverishment of employees of Aviation Security (AvSec) & logistics subsector of the aviation industry in Nigeria.

The circular said the managements of all the companies in the aviation had failed to secure decent contracts that could avail fair remuneration for their workers.

“With current salary levels as low as N30,000 a month for graduates, there is no gainsaying that AvSec employment in Nigeria is nothing other than a slave labour camp; to call a spade a spade.

“This situation can no longer be allowed to continue. In this regard, and further to our letter of ultimatum dated 26th June, 2023, all workers in all aviation logistics companies in Nigeria are hereby directed to totally withdraw services as from August 16, 2023 indefinitely, until our demand for fair remuneration is met,” the union said.