FAAN backs aviation unions takeover of hometel car park

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has thrown its weight behind the takeover of the Hometel Car Park at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos from the concessionaire by aviation unions over non remittance of funds to the agency.
This is just as the agency directed its Legal Department to take a critical and comprehensive look at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between it and the operator of Hometel Car Park.
Aviation unions led by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) had last week taken over the car park following the failure of the concessionaire to remit money to FAAN for over two years.
At a meeting held in Lagos today, the Managing Director, Engr. Saleh Dunoma threw his weight behind aviation unions’ takeover of the Hometel Car Park and directed its Legal Department to critically look at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the agency signed with the concessionaire.
It was learnt that the meeting to discuss the takeover of the car park was held at FAAN head office in Lagos and that the following persons represented the agency: the Acting Director of Commercial, Mr. Toyin Okpaise, General Manager, Rentals, FAAN, Deputy General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Onyekwere Nnaekpe and other directors in the agency.
On the other hand, aviation unions were led to the discussion table by the President of ATSSSAN, Comrade Benjamin Okewu, the General Secretary, NUATE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of NUATE, FAAN branch and others.
However, it was not clear if the concessionaire was invited for the meeting and if the agency has mapped out strategies on how to recover the debts running into millions of Naira owed FAAN by the concessionaire.
The unions at the meeting also accused the concessionaire of the car park for not remitting a penny to FAAN’’s purse over two years after it signed an MoU with the agency ,adding that the concessionaire violated part of the agreement by singlehandedly increasing the car park fee from N200 to N500 per car without FAAN’s knowledge .
The unions insisted that they would not allow the concessionaire to continue to manage the car park since it failed to remit money to FAAN, describing the concessionaire as a “chronic debtor.”
Contacted, the President of ATSSSAN, Comrade Okewu Benjamin confirmed the takeover of the car park.
He stated that the unions would not allow the concessionaire to come back to that place, as according to him, “the unions have taken over and there is no going back on that.”
According to him, “the concessionaire has not remitted a dime to FAAN since he started managing the car park over two years ago. We cannot continue to tolerate such concessionaire and what we have done is in the interest of the workers.”
In the same vein, Acting General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye also confirmed the takeover and the meeting that was held, adding that the matter was successfully resolved by the unions.
The NUATE scribe disclosed that FAAN had ordered its legal department to take a critical look at the grey areas in the MoU between the two parties.
He added that since its takeover last week, FAAN workers had been generating enough revenues that would make the payment of salaries easier at the end of the month.
According to him, “We have resolved the matter and FAAN staff have taken over the control of the car park from Hometel. At the meeting, the Managing Director of FAAN, ordered the legal department to critically look at the MoU with the owners of the company.
He continued, “The management supported the takeover of the car park. If you have a concessionaire that is not generating revenue as supposed to you, what will you do with such a company? It was a very reassuring meeting. We will generate enough revenues that will be enough for us to pay salaries at the end of the month.”