Senate of Nigeria says reopening of airports on June 21 was unrealistic

Senate of Nigeria on Thursday, via its Committee on Aviation, has said that reopening of the nation's airports for operation on June 21 was unrealistic, following concerns raised by workers in the aviation industry, according to a news report by Premium Times.

Chairman of the Committee, Smart Adeyemi (APC Kogi), gave the position when the committee met with officials of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Air Transport Services.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union officials had raised concerns experienced by the workers from their various employers.

They told the committee, in their separate presentations, that workers had not been paid salaries for some months, while some were paid half or received quarter salary by their various employers since the COVID-19 lockdown began in March.

The representatives of the aviation workers also noted that there was a need for special financial intervention and provision of necessary protocols, protective systems in view of the COVID-19 pandemic before reopening the airports for operations.

Adeyemi said that the senate was concerned about the issues raised by the aviation workers on their challenges, given that the aviation sector was key to the social-economic development of any country.

He has said though the aviation minister had said the airports would be unlocked on June 21, it might be difficult to allow the airports to open because of the concerns raised by the workers.

"Though you emphasized the need to unlock the airport, the fact remains that there are quite a number of issues that are begging for answers. I do not see how we will allow the airports to be unlocked when you are telling us that some of your colleagues have not been paid for months or that they were paid half salary, "said Smart Adeyemi.