The protesting Nigerian aviation unions have suspended their strike action embarked upon Wednesday morning after an agreement was reached with the Ministry of Transportation (Aviation) Wednesday night.
The four unions had grounded operations at the Lagos and Abuja offices of the NCAA and advocated for the sacking of its Director-General, Muktar Usman, over his alleged compromise on safety standards and high handedness as well as the refusal of the Federal Government to review the agency’s new organogram.
But around 8.30pm on Wednesday, the unions announced the suspension of the strike after a two-hour closed-door meeting with the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika in Abuja.
The protesting unions were: The National Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals.
Illitrus Ahmadu, National President, ATSSSAN, who spoke on behalf of the unions while announcing the suspension stated that the issue of a revised organogram, which was the core on the unions’ demands, would be reviewed by the ministry as the minister had agreed to some concessions.
He said the minister had promised that the issue would be resolved in the next seven days.
On workers’ welfare, Ahmadu said the minister promised to personally visit the National Salaries and Wages Commission to get the workers’ revised staff condition of service approved.
