Airline Picketing: Najomo sues for truce as unions ground Air Peace operation

CHUKWUEMEKE IWELUNMO,

The director general of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Capt Chris Najomo has sued for truce in the ongoing face off between Labour unions and airlines in the aviation sector saying the agency is aware of the ongoing industrial action by aviation unions and its impact on passengers and other stakeholders.

Capt. Najomo, in a statement appealed to the unions to sheathe their swords and exercise restraint pending the return of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, who has been actively working towards resolving the issues.

According to Najomo, the matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the Minister last week, but the meeting could not hold as the airline operators failed to honor the invitation.

The NCAA boss assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.

Najomo appeal to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation. We are confident that the matter will be resolved shortly and normal flight operations will resume as soon as practicable.

Meanwhile, the unions Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and National Union of Air Transport Employees have made good their threat by commencing on the picketing of domestic airlines for non remittence of money collected from passengers on behalf of the agencies

The unions as early as 5:30 am Tuesday, occupied strategic positions at the airport preventing workers from having access to the airport to commence work

According to the National president of ATSSSAN, Comrade John Ogbe, air peace officials blocked the runway with their bus to prevent other aircraft from taking off.

The air peace staff bus was towed away by officials of the federal airport authority of Nigeria from the runway

Ogbe condemned the blocking of the runway