The President General of Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Comrade Kabir Yahaya Gusau has called for better welfare packages for aviation workers in the country in order to improve their work performance.
Gusau noted that even with the best equipment in the world, without manpower development and good staff welfare, there will be no achievement in the sector.
He spoke at a press conference to herald the forthcoming 2nd National Delegates Conference of ANAP press conference scheduled for Kano with the theme ‘Tackling labour challenges towards improved service delivery and better welfare packages for the workers in the aviation industry’.
Gusau said it became necessary for workers to get improved welfare packages as a result of the state of the country’s economic predicament as the majority of them could barely meet their basic needs.
The ANAP President General said “The welfare of workers should be there, then better performance and delivery will be there. That’s why we capture everything. Yes. Welfare is very, very paramount. The equipment alone cannot work, no matter how the equipment you bring, you will disrupt a lot, the technical aspect will not work. That’s the reality of things. Welfare number one, then equipment”
“With the trend of things in the country and the way everything is going high now. So the individual workers, how much are we collecting? So I think we are looking for a living wage now, not a minimum wage. And there’s no way, when somebody is not comfortable, you cannot expect much from him”
Gusau also called for manpower development in the sector adding that when they are trained, they will perform better.
“We can be at par with any other aviation industry in the world. We don’t have a problem with that. The only thing we are looking for, give us the equipment, and make sure that our welfare is okay”
The ANAP delegates conference billed for Kano 27th April, 2024 at the Green Desert palm hotel will have Comrade Joe Ajearo the President, Nigerian Labour Congress, Mr Festus Keyamo as special guests while Capt Rabiu Yadudu former boss of FAAN will be the Chairman of the occasion.
New executives to run the union in the next four years are expected to be elected at the delegates conference.
Gusau commended the outgoing executives, especially Comrade AbdulRasaq Saidu, for the struggle to liberate workers from the hands of slavery in the aviation sector.
