A new industry group – Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals ( ANAP), has been formed in the aviation sector with the mission of promoting the welfare of its over 3, 000 members.
ANAP’s registration by the Ministry of Labour according to its General Secretary , Comrade Abdulrasaq Siedu took eleven years of struggle; because of resistance by other aviation associations which saw it as a threat.
Speaking at a briefing at the weekend, Siedu said ANAP, apart from fighting for the interest of aviation professionals, will bring to an end , the era of impunity where unions hitherto betray their members in collective bargain for improved working conditions.
He said the association is open all categories of aviation professionals except aircraft engineers and pilots.
Siedu said a National Steering Committee; the pillar of administration for ANAP, has been put in place to manage the affairs of the association for one year, before the delegate conference. Members of the committee include: Comrade Yaya Kabiru Gusau, as National President General, Comrade Timothy Ikechukwu Onwuka, as National Treasurer and Comrade Adelegan Adeyemi as the Brach Chairman in FAAN.
While calling on all cadre of aviation workers to enlist in the association, Siedu said ANAP , will utilize constructive dialogue to engage government on how to move the aviation sector forward.ANAP’s core objective, Siedu said will be driven on two planks: professionalization of the industry to ensure round pegs in round holes.This is just the new group has thrown its weight behind on going restructuring in the sector leading to the removal of some directors and demotion of general managers in the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Siedu called on government to be transparent about the exercise and ensure the list of personnel recommended for proper placement is not distorted. Besides FAAN, proper placement in other agencies, including – Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), is effectively and simultaneously carried out. Failure to do that, he said will promote ill-feeling among career civil servant, who have looked forward to progression in service.
He also called on government to revert FAAN to its original operational structure from its current over bloated structure with un-needed lopsided personnel. Siedu said: “The on-going restructuring in FAAN is incomplete. The operational structure of FAAN has to revert to its enabling Act. The current structure is over bloated with un-needed staff imposed on it during the tenure of Oduah as minister. There must be proper placement of personnel. Even, in NAMA, the changes made are incomplete. This restructuring must go round the industry.”
Siedu , however, faulted plans by government to concession four international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. He said ANAP, will seek audience with the Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika on its position on the vexed matter, because aviation workers are not favourably disposed to the planned airports concession. Siedu said FAAN, as currently constituted has enough technical capacity to manage the nation’s airport.
He said Sirika should consider critically issues that would arise concerning recovering FAAN debts owed by airlines and many other, should he decide to go ahead to concession the airports. The ANAP scribe said: “Sirika cannot concession the airports now. People are just misleading the minister on this issue. He should look at past concessions and what happened. In Calabar Airport, a concessionaire ran away with the money he collected for nine months. Ninety per cent of revenue points in FAAN has been concessioned. These include concessions on billboards, car parks.”
In his remarks, Gusau said the founding members of ANAP, have over the years sought a new platform to avoid the infiltration of labour by people working against the interest of aviation workers. He said :”Our goal is to carry every group along. We will not allow our members to misbehave. The driving force for us to seek this new platform was sequel to inefficiency in union business and poor attitude to staff welfare by other groups. We will also ensure that all airport and air navigation facilities are up to the prescribed standards. There will be no betrayal of trust or double standards. We will work hard to safeguard the interest of aviation workers “