*Commends FG on Intervention Fund
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has commended the federal government for the N1 trillion intervention funds to cushion the effects of the pandemic, Coronavirus.
President of NUATE, Comrade Ben Nnabue who made this known in a statement in Lagos, also called for understanding of the circumstances under which the workforce in the aviation industry are subjected due to the pandemic that is ravaging the world.
“We use this opportunity to commend the federal government which through the Central Bank of Nigeria, has announced an intervention fund of N1 trillion to mitigate the negative impact of the corona virus pandemic. We are grateful that aviation has been named among the beneficiaries, and hopeful that the sector will actually be given the lion share.
“This is against the background of the well-grounded view that the adverse effects of the corona virus on aviation far outstrips the impact of 911 for which aviation received quite substantial interventions all over the world. We further urge that the modalities for the application of this fund should be quick to be released in other for the benefits to begin to manifest as quickly as possible. In this regard we are of the opinion that the positive handling of labour issues by the companies should be among the criteria to be used in accessing the fund,” Nnabue said.
The NUATE President also called on the aviation agencies to scale up coronavirus response modes to ensure that the virus does not spread through the airports.
“We equally use this medium to call on all aviation agencies to activate, or scale up, their corona virus response modes. We expect an integrated mechanism that incorporates the entire airport activities nationwide led by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). This mechanism should in turn be integrated with the national response system. May we therefore be expectant of very urgent and effective steps towards prevention of the entrance of the ailment into the aviation workplace, and/or curtailing it in the event that the worst happens,” he added.
Nnabue noted that break out and wild spread of corona virus has taken a heavy toll on aviation globally, from high exposure of airline and airport personnel, through the near total collapse of international travel, to the closure of some airports, “it is very obvious that aviation has taken the hardest hit from this pandemic.”
“The colossal losses arising from this state of affairs has created a very serious labour challenge. As the airlines, especially the international carriers, and the companies dependent on them count their losses; there is now a present danger that the workforce might take a hit as well. This is a matter of serious concern to NUATE as a labour union.
“All stakeholders, ourselves more than others, must share the worry of the affected aviation companies. We truly sympathise with their situation. And there is a genuine fear that some of the smaller entities might be unable to survive the crush. This type of circumstance calls for sober thoughts. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that the workers of these companies are real human beings with real human needs. The unfortunate situation of their companies does not diminish the bills they have to bear.
