By Chinelo Obogo
The Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) has expressed worry over the vacuum that would be created with the mass retirement of key officers after their mandatory 35 years of service across aviation agencies.
Speaking in Lagos, the ANAP Secretary General, Abdulrazak Saidu, said the vacuum is man-made as some people in the system failed to promote workers that were due to be promoted while in office. He alleged that the perpetrators either transferred these set of workers out or deliberately hide their files.
“Those people that are supposed to be promoted to take over from them when they retire were not promoted, sometimes, their files would get lost or they would transfer the person away thinking that the office was their birthright. But at least, they will retire. Let them go and when they go, the management will look inward and the management will appoint the most senior to take over,” he said.
He urged the management of aviation agencies to appoint those that merit the appointment on the order of seniority to avoid a vacuum. He advised the Chief Executives Officers of aviation agencies not to encourage employment of contract staff and not to allow the retirees to come back as consultants.
On conditions of service, Saidu said the issue has gone on for many years but that this year, the labour unions in the industry would not hesitate to take stern action to ensure the CoS is approved. He urged workers to be ready to fight for their rights this year as the unions are ready to protect them.
“The main duty of the union is to protect the interest of workers and fight for the working condition of its members’ condition of service, when you get approval, there must be a letter. By the Act, it is the Governing Board of Directors that decide the workers’ condition of promotion, it is not domiciled with the ministry or the Minister of Aviation,” he said.