NLC Warns FAAN MD Over Airport Picketing Comments

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Rabiu Yadudu to shut up over his statement as regards the congress strike action at the Lagos, Abuja, and Imo State Airports.

The NLC disclosed this in a statement signed by the Head of Information and Public Affairs Benson Upah on Tuesday.

The Congress on May 3rd, disrupted flight operations to Owerri over alleged disruptions of their May Day rally by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma.

This development prompted Yaduda to refer to the picketing by the NLC, and Trade Union Congress (TUC) as out of fashion and a deliberate plan just to massage their ego without the interest of the staff and workers in mind.

But the NLC while reacting to the statement said “We advise Yadudu to shut up instead of misinforming the public about what happened.

“It is public knowledge that there are issues in Imo State. It is equally true that our credo is, an injury to one is an injury to all, so clearly, he is the liar here.

“If anyone is guilty of cheap talk and ego-tripping here, it is Yadudu who thinks nothing of the suffering workers in Imo and who believes it is his birthright to resort to the use of four-letter words even as he mismanages FAAN with impunity.”

The Congress also disclosed that it wrote to Yaduda on its plans to picket the Lagos airport and it should not allow flights to go to Owerri Airport because its members were harassed by the Imo State Government.

According to the NLC, Yaduda seems to be assuming the role of the judiciary by declaring the action as “illegal” because according to him, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Act has put aviation as an essential service where there is no room for picketing or blocking of operation is not surprising.

The NLC further said, “Here again, this ‘Judge’ missed the fact and the law, the fact being that only an insignificant population of Nigeria fly and not all Nigerians as he claimed. Secondly, major airports across the world have been picketed or have suffered service withdrawal including Heathrow only recently.

“On where he missed the law, he should ask his lawyer as we would not oblige him this information any further.”