The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has organised a solidarity rally to the operational headquarters of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCA)] in Lagos over moves by Dan Air to commence regional flights from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two(MMA2).
The Deputy President of NUATE, Comrade Williams Ukah, who led the Joint Action Congress (JAC) rally to all the aviation agency offices before they rounded off at NCAA headquarters, raised several issues the group wants management attention on.
The issues includes: the Dana Air request to commence a regional flight operations from MMA2, training for technical staff, autonomy, staff claims and airlines indebtedness to NCAA.
The unions urged the NCAA not to accede to Dana Air’s request to operate a regional flight from the MMA2 so as not to incur the wrath of labour in the sector.
The union hinged their position on the ground that the request negate Aviation Security (AVSEC) at the terminal and that the agreement between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the operator of the terminal.
They were however full of praise to the management of NCAA over the amicable resolution of the issue of staff promotions and prompt payment of staff salaries and other emoluments at this time of the year.
The NCAA Director of Finance and Accounts, Alhaji Nuhu Ozigi, on behalf of the Director General, Capt Usman Muhtar, addressed the unions and also received a letter addressed to the DG.
He stated that, as a regulatory body, issue of staff training and re-training both local or foreign was of utmost priority, but that in compliance with budgetary regulatory policy of the Federal Government, foreign trainings for technical staff needs approval from the Head of Service of Federation through the Ministry and that the approval processes are ongoing.
He promised that the management would look into the issue of Dana Air request critically before taking a decision on it.
He however noted that some technical staff from the critical sections of NCAA were currently at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology(NCAT) undergoing various relevant local trainings in line with International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) recommendations.
The DFA disclosed that, while pensions and gratuities are not owed to any staff, modalities have been fashioned out on how to liquidate pending staff claims on a monthly basis, even though it might seem to be going fairly slowly.
On domestic airlines indebtedness in the face of government’s policy of, “debt recovery without disruption of flight operations”, he said that NCAA has put in place an aggressive and concerted efforts at debt recovery, more particularly, by local airlines.
On autonomy for the regulatory body, Ozigi was of the view that NCAA is not restricted in its regulatory oversight responsibilities in any way.
The high point of the rally was the presentation of the union letter to DFA and this was thereafter presented to the DG for management review.
