THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened a showdown over the federal government’s plan to concede four of the nation’s international airports.
NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, made the intention known in Abuja, while receiving members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in his office.
According to the labour chief, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, which accounts for over 60 percent of international flights in Nigeria, is on the list of the airports to be conceded.
“Others are Mallam Aminu Kano Airport; Port Harcourt International Airport and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,” he said.
The NLC president further said the move is suspicious. He questioned the rationale behind the government’s plan to trade off the airports it borrowed loans to put back in shape.
He stated that under the planned concession, 60 percent would be ceded to the concessioner, while the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) retains 40 percent, out of which the government is expected to service the loan from China and pay workers’ salaries.
The NLC leader lamented that a similar arrangement was used to trade off the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MM2) Ikeja, which resulted in bitter litigation and perpetual injunctions that ceded the asset to the concessioner.
Wabba vowed that labour unions would ensure the planned concessions fail.
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