Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has kicked against the planned concession of the country’s four major airports: Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Port Harcourt International Airport and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The President of TUC, Quadri Olaleye, stated in Lagos on Thursday that the government should rather experiment with the non-viable airports.
His words, “To arrogantly declare that the concession is a ‘forgone conclusion’ is the peak of impunity, which this administration preached against. Virtually all aspects of our national life have been breached.
“The social contract this government entered into when we voted for it has been grossly violated. Concessions have been made in the past and there is nothing to show for them. The tenacity with which the minister of aviation and his cronies are going about the project is a matter of concern to us in the labour movement. It is a matter of the hand of Esau and voice of Jacob.”
He wondered why the four major airports are up for concession.
“Why not invest in other airports scattered across the country? Why do they want to stifle and incapacitate Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, a parastatal created by an act of parliament? From experience, past concessions of our common patrimonies have always been bedevilled by tales of woes,” he said, citing MMA2 operated by the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited.
According to him, if the minister and the forces behind him are sincere and genuinely desire a business model that would reposition the aviation industry, they should adopt the Green Field and Corporatisation models, which empower new investors to, among others, construct new runways, terminal buildings and thereafter operate for a specified period of time before handing over to government.
He said, “Under the corporatisation model, government gives the running of the business to a statutory board/agency to autonomously carry out operations of the airport on a purely commercial basis same way the Airports Company of South Africa operates.
“The Ethiopian Airports Authority, Egyptian Airports Authority, etc. are all doing great. Nigeria is more endowed in all ramifications than these countries, but it is obvious they have better economy managers.
“How can we claim to be ‘Giant of Africa” and yet cannot manage little things? What we have are powerful individuals while our institutions suffer. Nigeria has become a laughing stock before tiny countries in Africa. How can we make so much noise about fight against corruption, yet cannot prevent wastages and excessive government interferences that have been the bane of the country’s development since independence?” he said.
TUC vehemently opposed any move to concession/privatise the airports, arguing that Nigerians had toiled day and night to contribute to the growth of the aviation industry.
“We urge government to kick-start this project with the underutilised airports as a pilot scheme. If successful, then it can be replicated in other airports,” Olaleye said.
