…Say Planned Concession Not Transparent, Did Not Follow Due Process
Aviation unions made up of : the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), National Union of Pensioners (NUP) and National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE)and officials of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) today kicked against the planned concession of four major airports by the Federal Government.
This just as they alleged that the process towards concession of the four major airports : Lagos, Abuja,Port Harcourt and Kano had not been transparent and that it did not follow due process.
The stakeholders,who kicked against the concession at a three-day sensitisation programme on Public Private Participation (PPP) organised by FAAN contended that the planned concession as presently championed by the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika did not follow due process.
A source, who was at the meeting at the Conference Room of the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos and who spoke to Abelnewsng.com on the condition of anonymity, alleged that the model adopted by the Federal Government was not transparent enough and that critical stakeholders, who should drive the process were allegedly excluded from the exercise.
The source added that the meeting that began on Monday and would end tomorrow;Wednesday also involved senior management staff of FAAN.
The source stated that the Director of Commercial and Business Development, Mr. Sadiku Rafiundadi and Director of Finance, Accounts,Mrs. Nike Aboderin, Director of Finance and Accounts were at Monday’s meeting, but were not at the meeting Tuesday
Speaking further, the source added that at Monday and Tuesday’s meetings , three aviation unions ATSSSAN, NUATE and ANAP, NUP and National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).
At the meeting, the said that the condemned the non inclusion of the unions in the hiring of Transaction Advisers (TA) and also that they are aware what the Federal Government intend to cncession.
The unions also demanded for the blueprint of the proposed concession, wondering also why the Federal Government did not consider other models of concession, which according to them would not only create more jobs and but that would boost Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) for FAAN.
Recalled that the Managing Director of FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma in a letter of inviting dated November 8, 2017,told the workers and aviation unions about the commencement of the meeting with ICRC.
‘Sensitisation on Public Private Partnership and on the Appointed of Transaction Advisers (Consultants) for four International Airports,’ requested for five representatives from each union, Deputy General Managers, Assistant General Managers and two delegates and staff from each department,” the letter reads.
It continued, “The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the agency saddled with the responsibility to regulate the concession of government infrastructure has indicated its interest to carry a three-day’s sensitisation exercise (from 13th to 15th November 2017) for union leaders, top management staff and staff generally.”
