ULTIMATUM!?… Alien to outcome from the dialogue between the unions & the minister

L-R: Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation & Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of the Aviation Ministry, Capt Chris Najomo, Director General Civil Aviation, DGCA, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, during the round table dialogue with the Joint Aviation Unions, in Lagos, Friday, 28th February 2025

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, announces that there is a tripartite, and mutually beneficial working relationship between the authority, (FAAN), the workers’ unions, and the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

The plausible tripartite relationship mutually agreed to, was brokered by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development himself, Mr Festus Keyamo, at a stakeholders’ parley with all the unions in the aviation industry, held on Friday, 28th of February 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The statement by FAAN revealed that last Friday-dialogue with the minister and heads of the agencies was peaceful, cordial and the mutual agreement with the unions was the culmination of the discussions had with the Permanent Secretary, PS, of the aviation and aerospace ministry, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, who represented the minister last Tuesday, 25th February 2025, at the aviation workers’ unions congress held in Abuja.

FAAN statement noted that at the congress, the union leaders “raised concern over the non-inclusion of their members in the ongoing airports concession committee deliberations, delay in the implementation of the negotiated consequential adjustment of the New Minimum Wage, among others”.

Mrs Oluwabunmi Kuku, (with the microphone) Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, highlighted how FAAN management had accomplished over 90% of all that is needed for the workers to be paid the revised salary structure. To her right is Capt Chris Najomo, DGCA, NCAA, and Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation & Aerospace Development at a well-conducted round table parley with the unions leaders where strained nerves got Keyamo’s Gilead balm

The statement noted that all the grievances of the unions in addition to the ones stated above were tabled before the minister at the interactive stakeholders’ parley on Friday, 28th February 2025, in Lagos, and mutual understanding and an agreement was reached on all the items presented by the unions.

Rounding off the meeting, the Minister in the presence of the heads of the agencies directed immediate inclusion of the Unions’ representatives in the concession committee to ensure transparency and emphasized that the unions be availed with full information as the concession process is ongoing.

On the NIMET salary structure which is currently not at par with other aviation agencies, the minister immediately directed the matter should be presented to the salaries and wages commission and promised close monitoring by the ministry to ensure the rights of NIMET workers as regards their wages and salaries cease being trampled upon.

The Minister also, assured the Unions that he would also step-in to ensure the immediate implementation of the new salary review for staff of FAAN.

**Leaders of** the Aviation Joint Workers Union at a roundtable dialogue with the Aviation & Aerospace Development Minister. Mr Festus Keyamo, in the presence of all the accountable officers of the federal government agencies present except NSIB

It can be recalled that nothing like an ultimatum rared its head at the last meeting as all parties at the meeting were satisfied and in the spirit of the struggle for workers’ rights, Mr Keyamo reassured the union leaders that their rights can never be trampled upon where he holdforte as the cabinet ranked minister.

Might be needless to add that everyone left the meeting satisfied and show of solidarity was overtly exhibited between the parties- the unions, management of each of the aviation agencies and the aviation ministry.

However, the media statement reiterated that “FAAN remains resolute towards implementing her core values. The authority is also working with the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, to maintain cordial relations with the Aviation Unions as continuous dialogue and understanding are better alternatives in addressing industrial issues”.

FAAN also debunked a media report by a U.S-based online news medium which posted a report titled, “Aviation Unions Issue 14-day Ultimatum to Federal Government of Nigeria over the airports’ concession and Salary review.”

Members of the Joint Aviation Workers Unions at a roundtable dialogues with Accountable Officers in the federal government agencies. The talk shop was presided over by Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister, Aviation & Aerospace Development Ministry

The rebuttal described the news report with its headline as the figment of the imagination of the online news editor, as no iota of threat from any of the parties reared its ugly head at the meetings.

Hence, the word ultimatum had no place in the entire discussions, both on Tuesday, 25th February, and the roundtable dialogue of Friday, 28th February 2025, because the whole issues raised were conscientiously debated and agreement reached on each of all the items brought up for discussion.

It was so obvious that the blind could even see as the minister dropped the toga of the lord of the manor and was on the same page with the unions being a human rights lawyer and a legal luminary who had spent the greater part of his law practice in the defense of human rights and in the battle for fair treatment of Nigerian workers.

The rebuttal reassured the general public thus, “FAAN wishes to assure the flying public of providing best services in the nation’s Airport operations in line with global best practices”.