The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has said that if the issue of trapped funds by foreign airlines is not urgently resolved, many Nigerian aviation workers would lose their jobs.

In a letter written by NUATE’s General Secretary, Ocheme Aba and addressed to the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, the union said it had to weigh into the matter because it has a much higher than most other stakeholders.

The International Air Transportation Association (IATA), last Thursday, expressed disappointment at the Federal Government over the inability of foreign airlines to repatriate $464 million accumulated from sale of flight tickets which has been trapped in Nigerian banks.

Emirates also recently announced suspension of flights to Nigeria over its $85m trapped in the country.

Aba said NUATE feels obliged to mention the threat to the employment and livelihood of thousands of workers of the affected foreign airlines should there result in further significant reductions, or outright shutdown, of operations of these airlines.

“The ugly situation of hundreds of millions of dollars earned by foreign airlines operating into Nigeria, but which they have been unable to repatriate due to Nigeria’s foreign exchange challenges has already been blown out by local and foreign media, bringing colossal collateral damage to Nigeria’s image.

“We find it ineluctable to weigh into the matter, being the trade union to which all workers in the foreign airlines belong. As such our stake in this imbroglio is, without question, much higher than most other stakeholders.

“First of all, knowing who you are convinces us that this unpleasant situation must have preoccupied you already, and that your office must already has been working very hard to find a workable solution. Secondly, being that you are, yourself, an aviation professional means that we need not bore you with enumerating the many dangers the continuation of this very adverse situation poses to the health of the aviation sector, the national economy, and Nigeria’s standing in the comity of nations.

“However, we feel obliged to mention the threat to the employment and livelihood of thousands of workers of these foreign airlines should there result in further significant reductions, or outright shutdown, of operations of these airlines. We must also mention the concomitant losses (not excluding jobs) that would accrue to several service providers who are dependent on, almost entirely, on the foreign airlines – ground handling, in-flight catering, logistics, aviation security, etc. This, unfortunately, is already visible from the reductions of operations that have come into effect in the past weeks resulting from the impasse.

“It is important to state that we are very mindful of current difficulties being experienced by the State with regard to the acute shortage of foreign exchange earnings. We also recognise that there are no straight fixes available. But, in view of the apparent calamity that will surely befall the nation if the situation is not ameliorated quickly enough, we urge you to prevail on the Federal Government to take extraordinary measures to resolve the quagmire,” Aba said. (Daily Sun)

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