Keyamo Moves To Avert Fresh Aviation Strike, Orders Talks With Airlines
By Stella Enenche, Abuja
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has moved to forestall renewed industrial crisis in the aviation sector, convening an emergency meeting with aviation unions, airline operators and heads of regulatory agencies to resolve outstanding disputes.
The meeting which took place on Thursday came two days after aviation unions suspended their planned industrial action following earlier discussions with the minister and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).
At the meeting, stakeholders agreed on measures to address airlines’ financial obligations to aviation agencies, with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other agencies directed to obtain payment schedules from indebted airlines.
The repayment arrangements, according to the resolutions, are expected to reflect the airlines’ operating costs and prevailing economic realities.
The Directors of Finance and Accounts of the aviation agencies are also to meet individual airlines within one week to agree on realistic repayment plans.
A major outcome of the meeting was the resolution on workers’ freedom to join trade unions. Keyamo maintained that workers should be allowed to decide independently whether they want to belong to a union.
The minister directed the NCAA to ensure that unions are granted direct access to workers across all airlines to distribute membership forms and enable employees indicate their choices.
“Any airline that prevents this direct interface will be sanctioned by the NCAA,” the statement warned.
The stakeholders also agreed to reconvene in one month to evaluate progress on the resolutions and assess the prevailing situation in the sector.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mahmud Kambari, said the resolutions reached at the meeting reflected the collective position of all parties.
“The resolutions contained in (i-iv) above are the collective decisions of all parties,” he stated.
The minister assured stakeholders that the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring a safe, efficient and sustainable aviation industry.
He further reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to maintaining industrial peace and strengthening the sector for sustainable growth.
