Trade Unions File Suit to Stop  Proposed Concession of International Airports

The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria(ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees(NUATE) and two other trade unions in the aviation industry have dragged the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to court over the proposed concession of the nation’s international airports without the consent and authority of the Federal Government, the 36 State Governments and the 774 Local Government Councils in Nigeria.

The other trade unions are the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, FAAN Branch.

In a suit dated March 14, 2023 and filed by their lawyer, Femi Falana,SAN, before the National Industrial Court, Lagos, the trade unions are seeking amongst other things a declaration that the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory are owned by the Federation of Nigeria.

According to  documents put before the court, the claimants said they were  junior, senior and professional staff of FAAN whose employment is guided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Reviewed Conditions of Service, 2021 which was made pursuant to the Federal Airports Authority Act.