The Federal Government has assured that none of the over 8000 workers of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would lose his job if the major airports in the country are given out in concession under the Public, Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement of the Buhari administration.
Government has also said that it would use between June and August this year to finalise the programme of airport concession in the country even as labour continues to kick against the project
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who revealed this in Lagos at the end of the Airport Business Summit and Expo on Thursday assured that there would be no job loss but the concession would create opportunity to engage more hands into the system
Sirika told industry stakeholders that there was no need to sell the people’s asset but to concession them in a way that they would be operated to generate more revenue for the country, modernize the airports and create more jobs.
He said the proposal would be presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in February 2022
The Minister also said all the agreements on concession was contained in the outlined proposal saying that it was in the interest of the people.
Sirika explained that the proposal which commenced in 2015 would be advertised this June for bidders to show interest after which qualified companies would be invited for profiling and review , adding that everything covering the process would close in August
He explained that evaluated companies would be asked to present a proposal for engagement
Sirika assured labour of dialogue to ensure that every issue concerning concession was addressed, insisting that no single worker would be laid off
He assured that all on going concessions would be allowed to finish their tenure before their agreements were reviewed.
On the notorious traffic gridlock between the domestic and international terminals of the Lagos airport, Sirika said arrangement was on between the Lagos state government and the Ministry of Aviation to construct light rail from the Ikeja terminal through the local airport terminals to the international airport.
The airports approved for concession include the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt airports.
