Connect with us

Business

Passengers Stranded As Protest Grounds Arik Flights

Published

on

Thousands of Arik Air passengers
were stranded yesterday nationwide at Nigerian airports as aviation workers
grounded Nigeria’s largest airline over N18 billion unpaid debts to aviation
agencies.

The stranded passengers sat
helplessly at the General Aviation Terminal in Lagos, as planes remained
grounded and unable to take off.

The protest by three unions was
held with loud speakers, placards, dancing and booing.

The unions; the Air Transport
Service Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN), the National Association of Aircraft
Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees
(NUATE), are staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the National Airspace Management
Agency (NAMA).

ATSSSAN Deputy General, Mr.
Olayinka Abioye, said the protest was to “send a clear message to the Federal
Government that because this is our farmland, we do not want the industry to
collapse.”

He queried: “How can a single
airline be owing aviation agencies a colossal sum of N18 billion without the
Federal Government doing anything about it?

“Letters have been written
severally, meetings have been called severally, none has been honoured by Arik
management.”

As he spoke, other aviation
workers cheered him up, saying “No retreat, no surrender.”

Abioye further said: “Aviation
workers have decided, and we are very resolute, that until the N18 billion that
Arik owes all the agencies under the Federal Ministry of Aviation is paid, no
flight of Arik will take off in any airport in Nigeria.

“Let Arik continue in its
blackmail. This morning when Arik and the Commissioner of Police had a meeting
with us, they said, there is an injunction with FAAN and that the matter has to
go to court in October. But what has the injunction with FAAN to do with the
money that you owe?

“The debts must be paid for the
aviation industry to thrive. The sustainability of the industry is our number
one priority. Because it is only when the aviation industry survives and
thrives than anyone of us can claim that we have jobs here.

“So, you allow one charlatan who
stole the Nigerian people’s money through another deceitful means and brings
the money to the aviation industry to come and set up an airline, and also
wants to cheat us, we say a capital NO.

“Arik just said they have
suspended its operations until further notice. We too are going to ground their
operations until further notice.

“This is 50-50. No retreat. No
surrender.”

At the time of going to press,
Arik had suspended its flights nationwide and a press conference was scheduled.

Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on
Aviation has recommended that the airline, owned by Port Harcourt-based
businessman, Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide, should operate as a national carrier
until the Aviation Ministry sets up a new one for Nigeria.

Arik Air, Dana Air, Air Nigeria,
Aero Contractors and others are already flag carriers, but none of them is a
national flag carrier.

According to those with inside
knowledge, a national flag carrier is partly or fully owned by the government
and enjoys rights, privileges and supports not enjoyed by others.

Media reports said last week that
Arik Air intends to become a public quoted company soon, a move analysts say is
in a preparation for their new status.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous
country and second richest economy has been without a national carrier since
the demise of Nigeria Airways in 2003.

Nigeria Airways’ multi-billion
naira facilities were sold to Arik Air for less than a billion naira,
triggering outrage and protests.

Nigeria Airways, which was founded
in 1958 and owned about 30 aircraft in the 1980s, collapsed in 2003 as
corruption brought the airline to its knees.

Continue Reading

Business

NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

Published

on

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Continue Reading

Business

ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

Published

on

National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Continue Reading

Business

NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

Published

on

In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
Continue Reading

Trending