Airport employees protest in Kano

Kano Focus reports that protest was jointly organized by the Air
Transport Senior Staff of Association of Nigerian (ATSSAN),
Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the
National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).
It could be recalled that in June the Federal Government had
announced plans to concession four new international airport
terminals in Kano, Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
Kano chairman of ATSSAN Sama’ila Muhammad Alkal said the plan
will jeopardize national security as the airport is an international
border. Mr Alkali said concession will harm workers as the MM2 terminal
concessioner disengaged workers in Lagos.
“We challenge the concession of the four major airports in the
country because those airports are the ones that support other
airports in Nigeria.
“We have 22 Federal airports and all of the remaining 18 depend
solely on these four.
“If these four were concessioned what will happen to the
remaining?” He asked.
Mr. Alkali added that they don’t want to migrate to the contributory
pension scheme because the FAAN pension system scheme is
better.
On his part, Kano branch chairman of ANAP Hassan Aliyu said the
government’s plan to concession the airports is irrational.
Mr Aliyu said government should allocate virgin land for private
companies to build new airports.
“We do not agree with this kind of concession, those who are
expected to be involved in the business are not investing money
they should make money with the airport.” He said. Also commenting, NUATE branch secretary Abubakar Isah they
would continue challenging the government until it addresses their
concerns.