Aviation union lauds FG over FAAN reorganization

Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos

Mr Benjamin Okewu, National President, Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), has commended the Federal Government for correcting irregularities in appointments in Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, Okewu said that the current reorganization in the agency was a welcomed development.

He said that the recent right-sizing in FAAN was a product of long-time agitation by the union to ensure that carrier staff members of the agency were not short-changed by politicians.

According to him, the union was part of the committee set up by the government to look into the complaints of irregularities and to verify the certificates of those involved.

“The agitation for the right placement has been on and we were part of the committee that was set up to look into it and has since submitted the report.

“We have been pushing for the implementation of the recommendations of the committee’s report,’’ he said.

Okewu disclosed that the re-organisation would not stop in FAAN, adding that the committee was waiting for the implementation of the report on FAAN before moving to other agencies.

He added that the exercise would continue in Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to ensure that all members of staff were properly placed.

“Now that FAAN has been achieved, the union will begin to put pressure so that the committee can move to NCAA immediately,’’ he said.

On appointment of two directors in FAAN, Okewu said that the positions were political, stressing that the union was concerned with career positions.

NAN recalls that no fewer than 22 general managers and deputy general managers in the agency have either been demoted or sacked by the government over improper placement.

Similarly, all the directors in the agency, except one, were relieved of their appointments.

The Federal Government on Tuesday announced the appointment Mrs Nike Aboderin as Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA) and Mr Sadiku Rafindadi as Director of Commercial and Business Development (DCBD).

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