Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

Air traffic controllers end strike, reach accord with NAMA

By Chika Goodluck-Ogazi
05 March 2015   |   11:00 pm
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) had called off its proposed strike, as the group has reached an agreement with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) over alleged poor welfare package.    NATCA had issued a statement last week signed by Messrs Victor Egaru and Olawode Banji, President and General Secretary respectively, on its…

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) had called off its proposed strike, as the group has reached an agreement with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) over alleged poor welfare package.

   NATCA had issued a statement last week signed by Messrs Victor Egaru and Olawode Banji, President and General Secretary respectively, on its plans to go on strike over failures of equipment within the Nigeria’s airspace as well as welfare issues and the refusal of NAMA management to adhere to the agreement it earlier reached with them

   The association has alleged that in the last two months the equipment has been epileptic and alarming, thereby increasing the workloads of both ATCs and Pilots.

   The controllers noted that since the agency decided to disregard the agreement it willingly signed with NATCA/ATSSSAN on January 18, 2015 and the fact that the time agreed would elapse on March 1, 2015, the ATCs in NAMA have no option than to resume the action earlier suspended as from March 2, 2015.

  However, NAMA has met with NATCA executives and convened a meeting presided over by the Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.

   According to the agency, the overview of the issues in dispute from the perspectives of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN)/NATCA and the management of NAMA) have been tabled.

   The meeting also looked at the advancement of the recently licensed controllers, promotion of NAMA staff, air traffic controllers’ salary structure and the re-designation of the Directorate of operation as Directorate of Air Traffic Management.

The agency said it had forwarded the demand of NATCA to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation and the members of the association would be carried along during the process.

   On the sponsored World Bank training, NAMA said it was agreed it would pay the differentials in the course allowance to eligible staff that attended the training in accordance with extant public service rules as well as the Agency’s conditions of service and present evidence of payment at the next meeting in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

  According to NAMA: “It was resolved that based on NAMA income and expenditure profile, and in compliance with requisite due process, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation will package proposal on the issues of allowances payable to Air Traffic Controllers as agreed, and forward same to the Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission (NSIWC) for necessary action. 

0 Comments