..Stages protest to NCAA
The National Union of Air Transport Employees NUATE has called on the management of of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA not to accede to the request of Dana Air to begin regional flights from Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA2, Lagos.
The union while on a solidarity visit to NCAA urged the regulatory authority not to incur the wrath of labour in the sector by granting the request of Dana Air.
NUATE hinged their position on the ground that the request negate aviation security at the terminal and the agreement between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN and the operator of the terminal.
The Uka led union listed items for the attention of management to include, training for technical Staff, autonomy for NCAA, staff claims, airlines indebtedness to NCAA .
The Joint Action Congress , JAC, rally to all the Aviation Parastatals offices before they rounded off at the Aviation House was led by the deputy President of NUATE, Comrade Williams Ukah .
They were however full of praises to the management of the Authority over the amicable resolution of the issue of staff promotions and prompt payment of staff salaries and other emoluments at this time of the year.
NUATE’ s letter was received by the NCAA director of finance and accounts, Alhaji Nuhu Ozigi on behalf of the director general, Capt Usman Muhtar .
Capt. stated that,” as a regulatory body, issue of staff training and re-training (local or foreign) is of utmost priority. But in compliance with budgetary regulatory policy of the federal g”overnment, foreign trainings for technical staff needs approval from the Head of Service of Federation through the Ministry and that the approval processes are ongoing.”
He promised that the management would look into the issue of DANA request critically before taking a decision on it.
The DG however noted that some technical staff from the critical sections of NCAA are currently at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology[NCAT] undergoing various relevant local trainings in line with International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) recommendations.
Usman disclosed that, while pensions and gratuities are not owed to any staff, modalities have been fashioned out on how to liquidate pending staff claims on a monthly basis, even though it might seem to be going fairly slowly.
On Airlines indebtedness in the face of government’s policy of,”debt recovery without disruption of flight operations”, he said that NCAA has put in place an aggressive and concerted efforts at debt recovery, more particularly, by local airlines.
On Autonomy, the DG was of the view that NCAA is not restricted in its regulatory oversight responsibilities in any way.
The high point of the Rally was the presentation of the Union letter to DFA and this was thereafter presented to the DG for management review.
