As part of activities marking workers day, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) yesterday issued government a seven-day ultimatum to pay the N45 billion severance benefits of former workers of Nigeria Airways Limited or have the unions to contend with.

The National President of ATSSSAN, Comrade Illitrus Ahmadu, disclosed this while addressing aviation workers at the association’s secretariat in Ikeja.

Ahmadu said the aviation industry was at a precipice considering series of activities and developments that have continued to plague the sector.

He said aviation workers continue to get worried over the signals coming from the government over the planned concession of airports, saying the association has employed engagement strategies to ensure whatever model is adopted by government favours all parties.

Ahmadu challenged the government to adopt the airport’s privatisation model implemented by many countries as government’s 100 hundred per cent ownership of airports is serving as a disincentive to many foreign investors.

His words:” As labour leaders, we continue to engage government to look at several options to the better running of the airports instead of outright concession. We are confident the various alternatives to concession, including privatisation, could be employed as has been done in other countries. We do not want our members to lose their jobs, so whatever model adopted by the government should be in the interest of workers and the country.”

The labour leader also spared a thought for workers of Aero Contractors Airlines accusing the management of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) of failing to inject funds into the carrier.

While saying since AMCON took over the airline that it has not done enough to turn it around, Illitrus declared: “The situation in Aero has put labour in a precarious position. If labour shuts down, it will not be in the best interest of all parties.”

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