Business
FAAN Boss Dispels Rumour Of Retrenchment
The Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
(FAAN), Mr George Uriesi, has in Lagos dispelled rumours in the media that the
authority has planned a massive retrenchment exercise.
Deputy General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr Onyekwere
Nnaekpe, in a news statement made available to newsmen, said that there was no
iota of truth in the rumour.
He said that FAAN had not concluded plans to downsize its
workforce to 1,500, as being peddled by some individuals who felt threatened by
the ongoing transformation in the industry.
Nnaekpe noted that the Federal Government’s transformation
exercise had closed down all the loopholes through which the individuals had
turned FAAN into as a largesse extraction and distribution factory.
He revealed that FAAN would be automating its revenue
processes across the airports, in order to enhance its revenue profile.
The Public Affairs Manager added that the automating process
would be part of the overall effort to reposition the authority as a viable
business concern.
“This organisation has to become a proper airport authority.
We cannot remain in the dark ages. This is 2012; every airport in the world is
automated.
“We are still using manual. When we automate our revenue points,
it will amaze you how our revenue profile will change positively.
“We will automate and we will use our staff. Automation does
not mean retrenchment, “ he said.
Nnaekpe said that one of the challenges facing FAAN
presently was continuous mass employment.
“In 2010 and 2011, the authority employed more than 1,000
new staff. We have stopped all efforts to continue to bloat the workforce which
is already a huge burden to carry.
“At the same time, with the staff we have, we are only
managing to meet our financial obligations of paying their salaries and
maintaining the airports.
“This is something that has not happened in FAAN for several
years. But when we start to collect our proper revenue, which will happen
shortly, we will get more buoyant.
“We really do not need to retrench our staff; we are not
going to do that, “ he said.
Nnaekpe, however said that rather than retrench staff, they
would be redeployed to where they were required, and this would add value to
their operation.