The federal government says it will no longer tolerate
strikes and riots in the aviation sector.
On Monday, flights at the Murtala Mohammed International
Airport (MMIA), in Lagos state were disrupted due to a strike by Nigerian
Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) staff members over salary increments.
The strike was later suspended after the management of NAHCO
said it had commenced negotiations with its workers.
NAHCO provides ground handling (cargo/ramp), passenger, and other services to several international airlines including Air France/KLM, Qatar, Ethiopian Airlines, Delta Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Turkish Air.
Speaking with statehouse correspondents at the presidential
villa, Abuja, Hadi Sirika, aviation minister, described the action as “wrong,
inhuman” and against the law.
Sirika explained that the FAAN act prohibits strikes and
riots in the aviation sector.
He apologised to the public and said the government would
ensure that the law is enforced to prevent future occurrences.
“This is very important to the traveling public. First, we
apologise to them, our teeming passengers in this difficult moment,” Sirika
said.
“Secondly, this will not happen in the future by the grace
of God. And the reason is simple; aviation is an essential service, the act has
been assented to by Mr. President, so strikes and riots around our airports are
prohibited by the laws of the land.
“Now that we have the act in place and assented to by Mr
President and passed by the National Assembly, we will deal with it according
to the law.
“We will ensure no essential service is being disrupted by
anybody no matter how aggrieved. There are other channels of channeling issues
when they arise but they are not permitted to go on strike because aviation is
an essential service and is the law of the land now.
“I will give you an example, there was an airline that had
to return to base because it couldn’t land. Imagine if there was a patient on
that aircraft. Imagine somebody attending to a very serious issue or matter at
hand or business or a student trying to catch up with an exam and then because
of somebody who is aggrieved some other person will die.
“Government will no longer allow that. So it’s in the law of
the land, check the FAAN act, it’s been assented to and it’s going to take
place soon, in fact now, from today we will not allow that.”
He said the government was always willing to listen to any
grievances, adding that there are procedures to address such.
“They should please desist from this. It is wrong, inhuman,
and not allowed. It is not permitted and we will not be permitting it any
longer,” he said.
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