House committee chair pleads with aviation operators to pay staff salaries

…As IATA says 91,380 Nigerian airline workers risk losing jobs

Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji has appealed to domestic airlines and private organisations within the aviation sector not to abandon their staff in this period of uncertainties occasioned by COVID19 pandemic.

He made this known after reports that Max Air management had informed staff of their inability to remunerate them for the period the airlines suspended operations and some states on lockdown. Nnaji who represents Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency of Enugu State said he was disturbed by the memo issued to staff of Max Air to the effect that they would not be paid salaries for the period of the two weeks lockdown directive by the Federal Government. Nnaji appealed to the management of the airline to reconsider its decision and equally urged other organisations in the sector to see this trying period as a time of sacrifice and show extreme compassion to their staff.

He also urged the Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sariki to step in and hold talks with the various stakeholders in the industry to avoid ripple effects of Max Air action. “I am aware that elsewhere, governments are providing palliatives for employers of labour to cushion the impact of this pandemic but because of our peculiar circumstances the Federal Government may not immediately offer such at the moment,” he said.

The committee chairman also used the opportunity to call for understanding among the people and leaders of the South East Region over the aborted reopening of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu before Easter as planned.

Nnaji lamented that the development was caused by the COVID19 pandemic which has forced the workers of both the contractor and consultants handling the project out of site.

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has strengthened its call for urgent action from governments in Africa and to provide financial relief to airlines as the latest scenario for potential revenue loss by carriers in Africa reached US$4 billion.

This translates into a drop of industry revenues of 32 per cent for Africa. For Nigeria, IATA says 3.5 million fewer passengers has resulted in a US$ 0.76 billion revenue loss, risking 91,380 jobs and US$0.65 billion in contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

“The air transport industry is an economic engine, supporting up to 8.6 million jobs across Africa and the Middle East and $186 billion in GDP. Every job created in the aviation industry supports another 24 jobs in the wider economy. Governments must recognize the vital importance of the air transport industry, and that support is urgently needed,” said Muhammad Al Bakri, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.