No job loss after airport concession, Sirika assures

JOHN OKOH

Following the decision by the Federal Government to concession four major airports in the country, Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has assured industry workers, especially that of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) of job security.

The minister, at a stakeholders’ meeting via Zoom on Tuesday, declared emphatically that no worker will lose job on account of airport concessioning.

He explained that the rights and privileges of the workers are well protected in the exercise which will later usher in new managers of the four terminal buildings in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano international airports.

The minister remarked that going by ICAO requirements, the airports are under staffed, saying that the government would soon employ more people to bridge the gap of man power requirement.

He said the position of the government in respect of job security had been made known to the workers through their various unions, adding that with the takeover of state owned airports in Gombe, Dutse, Kebbi, Bauchi and Osubi, there would be more job openings.

Sirika made it clear that when the terminal buildings come under the new managers, they would be compelled to work with about 14 percent staff on ground for two years before deciding who fits into their respective technical needs while the remaining staff not needed by the concessionaires at their respective terminals would be reabsorbed by FAAN.

The minister even said such workers to be retained by the future concessionaires have the liberty to work with them or go back to FAAN, saying” be rest assured no one would lose job”.

He disclosed that the government had embarked on the training of workers within limited resources to be skillful, saying,”We have lots of opportunities to employ”.