Over 200 airport workers and aviation union members yesterday staged a protest at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport , Ikeja , Lagos to protest over the N25 billion the airlines are owing the Federal Government.
Led by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the unions threatened to stop rendering services to major airlines if they failed to settle they are owing the Federal Government within the next seven days.
ATSSSAN and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) blocked ticket counters at the domestic wing of the airport to express their disapproval over the debts owed agencies.
For over three hours during the protest, activities around the airport environment were disrupted.
Addressing the gathering, the ATSSSAN President, Mr Benjamin Okewu, said the protest was a result of the refusal of the airlines to settle their debts to the government.
He said: “This protest is to send a notice to airline management that aviation workers are tired of the incessant indebtednessto all the aviation parastatals.
“Airlines have been enjoying services from aviation parastatal without paying for the services rendered to it.
“We are here to inform the passenger, the airline’s management and every other stakeholders that very soon, aviation workers will be ceasing all the services rendered to such airlines they decide not to pay their debt.
“We cannot continue like this as the change we clamour for and the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari must reflect in the aviation industry.”
