By Obaike Odihue
No worker will lose their jobs as a result of the ongoing concession process for some of the nation’s airports, the Federal Government has assured.
It also promised to engage with the workers over the development, but warned that they would not dictate the policies of government.
Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo (SAN), gave the assurance and warning on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the outcomes of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He emphasised that the Federal Government remains committed to engaging the various aviation unions to ensure their concerns are addressed, even as the ministry proceeds with the airport concession programme designed to improve efficiency and reduce financial losses.
“I want to make this very clear because there have been all kinds of misinformation to union members. I am pro-union and pro-worker. Nobody will lose his job as a result of the airport concessions,” Keyamo stated.
He added that while consultations with stakeholders would continue, the unions would not be allowed to dictate government policy. “We will engage them, but they will not dictate policy of government to us. We cannot continue to waste public funds on airports that are running at a loss,” the minister stressed.
Keyamo revealed that the FEC approved the full business case for the concession of the Port Harcourt International Airport to private investors. According to him, the decision followed renewed investor confidence in the sector since the Tinubu administration came into office.
“Before we came in, no investor showed interest in Port Harcourt Airport despite repeated advertisements. But under this administration, more than six reputable firms are now competing to operate it,” he said, noting that the move would reduce financial pressure on government resources.
The minister also announced that FEC approved the exclusion of properties owned by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in and around airports from being sold to private individuals under previous government property disposal schemes.
He said the decision was based on security and safety concerns, noting that certain airport quarters are critical for emergency and technical staff who must live within the vicinity for rapid response.
“We have had a serious problem where private individuals claimed they bought FAAN properties within or around airports. Let me make it clear: such properties will not be conceded to them. Mr. President has now approved a memo formally excluding all FAAN quarters and aviation-sensitive buildings from disposal,” he said.
Keyamo further disclosed that the FEC approved several other aviation-related projects, including the procurement of 15 airport rescue and firefighting vehicles to meet International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, and the installation of advanced navigation systems at 14 Very High Frequency (VHF) remote stations nationwide.
He added that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) would now have a permanent headquarters in Abuja, following the approval for the construction of a purpose-built office to replace rented facilities.
Other approvals included the installation of airfield lighting at several domestic airports to enable night operations and increase revenue for local airlines, as well as the introduction of a contactless biometric verification system linking passengers’ National Identification Numbers (NIN) to enhance safety and identity verification at all airports.
