*Airspace closes 12 midnight on Sunday
Lawani Mikairu &
Daniel Eteghe
06 January 2012, Sweetcrude, LAGOS –Nigeria Air space will be closed and Air transport grounded by 12 midnight on Sunday. This is sequel to Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) directives that all affiliate unions should commence an indefinite strike on Monday, January 9, in response to the Federal government withdrawal of subsidy on Petrol.
In a statement by the three unions in the aviation industry after an emergency meeting, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), the Nation Union of Air Transport Employee (NUATE), the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineer (NAAPE), have directed their members to withdraw their services by 00.00hrs Sunday night.
The resolutions signed by Mr Oloyinka Abioye, Deputy General Secretary, ATSSAN; Comrade AbdulKareem Motajo, Acting General Secretary, NUATE and Umar Ofonime, Assistant General Secretary, NAAPE, said among others, that in compliance with directives of the central working committee of Nigeria Labour Congress all air transport workers must observe the stay-at-home order.
The statement read in part: “There is a subsisting understanding between Labour Congress and the Federal Government in 2009 that removal of subsidy will not commence until certain conditions have been met.
“These include the fixing of all the refineries and building of new ones, regular power supply, and provision of other social infrastructure such as railways and repairs of roads as well as eliminating the corruption associated with supply and distribution of petroleum products in the downstream sector of the oil industry” the statement read.
