Union restates opposition to FG’s airport concession plan

By Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo, Lagos

The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) has reassured it members that the union is not sleeping on the concession policy of government and has mapped out plans to challenge the initiative.

Speaking during the delegate conference of the Murtala Mohammed Airport branch of the union, ATSSSAN branch Chairman FAAN, Comrade Ahmed Danjuma emphasized that the policy was not the best answer to the problems confronting the aviation sector and that the unions were in unison in their opposition to concession of the country’s four major airports.

He urged his members not to relax on their oars in their stand against the government policy, adding that though the publicity about the policy seemed to have reduced, government was also re-strategizing after the initial knocks it received over the policy.

“For the fact, that the noise of concession has suddenly reduced aside from the last two weeks that the vice president made a statement about the concession and another statement was made again about the concession, we should not relax that this government will not carry out that exercise.

“The only way we can prove to them that we can do it is by sitting up and doing our job the best we can, so that we will not give room for anybody to come and challenge us that we have not done well,” he advised.

Comrade Danjuma explained that the union had engaged many stakeholders on the matter, several researches have been made and position papers developed to defend their stand against the concession policy.

The ATSSSAN chairman used the occasion to announce that the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission had approved the FAAN reviewed condition of service which has been sent to the ministry for necessary action.