Following the failure of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) to pay the sacked and retired staff of the Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited (BPE) upon privatisation in 2009, two leading unions in the Nigerian aviation industry have decided to picket the offices of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO)Plc and BPE in Lagos and nationwide.
No fewer than 982 staff of the former ground handling company were purged by Sifax Group in 2009 when it bought over the former company. They were owed N1.8 billion in severance and redundancy packages by the government.
The unions – the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) – said the protest would take place nationwide Tuesday, December 13, 2022.
- In a statement seen by Nairametrics, the unions said the protest is a sequel to the failure of BPE to respond to their ultimatum which expired on November 29, 2022.
- The ultimatum was given after the failure of BPE to effect the consent judgment on September 10, 2022.
- The document added: “The action shall start simultaneously from SAHCO headquarters in Lagos, other offices nationwide and BPE headquarters in Abuja by 9a.m on Tuesday, December 13, 2022.”
- The unions also enjoined all aviation workers nationwide to join the protest.
BPE Excuses: Nairametrics previously reported that the BPE said its compulsory contribution to the Treasury Single Account (TSA) was preventing it from paying the severance packages of N1.8 billion to the former workers as agreed with their unions in 2018.
- The BPE also said that all requests to Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning to ensure the release of the funds proved abortive.
- In 2015, the Federal Government compelled all Ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to contribute 25 per cent of their revenues to the TSA.