GAT Crisis: Reps Meets With Two Ministers, Others Today

Aviation Minister, Mr Babatunde Omotoba and the Attorney-General of the Federation will meet with the House Committee On Aviation today over the crisis in the aviation sector. The Committee on Aviation of the House of Representative decided to wade into the crisis in the industry resulting from the handover of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos to Bi-Courtney Aviation Services. The House committee headed by Hon. Bethel Nna Emeka Amadi had last week summoned the Minister of Aviation, the Attorney-General and the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Richard Aisueseogun to appear before it today. Others summoned to meet the committee include the director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, the managing director of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, Air Transports Service Senior Staff Association and National Union of Air Transport Employees and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, FAAN branch. Aviation workers had severally threatened to shut down air operations in the country to create uncertainty over air transportation and air movement in the country if the alleged contract was not revoked. The industrial action was however shelved temporarily following appeal from the presidency and other authorities. The workers at Port Harcourt Airport and other airporta every Wednesday organise rally at the airport to inform workers of the development. During the last week rally, the workers who trooped out to attend the rally, described the concession and contract as fraud and illegal. Meanwhile, the chairman of the house Committee on Aviation, Hon. Bethel Nna Emeka Amadi said the house was worried over the unhealthy development in the sector, adding that aviation safety would be under threat if the workers went ahead to embark on strike. Amadi said that his committee has received several petitions from various organisations urging the committee to find a lasting solution on the crisis. The lawmakers said today’s meeting would examine all issues in the concession arrangement with a view to resolving them amicably.