Aviation workers panic over job loss

Workers of the Aviation ministry and its agencies are now living in fears over the ongoing evaluation exercise ordered by the new Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka.

Sources, who spoke to our correspondent on Monday on the development, said the current evaluation of the workforce would lead to the sacking or redeployment of some redundant members of staff in the aviation sector.

Our correspondent learnt that the minister was unhappy with the huge number of workers he met in the sector without proper definition of their roles.

Chidoka, who assumed office a month ago, had gone round all the agencies and parastatals under his ministry to have firsthand knowledge about their operations and to know the state of the facilities.

After the inspection, the minister was said to have asked top officials of each agency to embark on a staff audit, which sources said might ultimately lead to the sacking of some members of staff.

An official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “We are aware that something is going on because of the mood of the people around; but nobody seems sure of who it will affect, or when it will happen.

“I learnt it is going to be massive and because we have not witnessed such for a long time, I believe it won’t be easy. People may be redeployed, reposted or sacked.”

Investigation further revealed that preliminary reports had shown that some workers were redundant, while some due to retire, were still hanging on.

Our correspondent, who visited some of the agencies on Monday, observed that the workers gathered in small groups, discussing in whispers.

A top source at the Aviation ministry, who pleaded not to be named because he had not been authorised to speak on the matter said, “It is only a matter of time for some people to either be reposted or asked to go. Some people are still occupying positions where personnel are not needed due to the remodelling exercise and other developments.

“Some other members of staff are just buying time after attaining the retirement age. The ongoing exercise will aim at reducing the workforce for more efficiency.”

However, when contacted, the spokesperson for FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, denied knowledge of such a development in the sector.

“I am sorry, I’m not aware,” he simply said.

The General Manager, Corporate Communications, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing the story as his mobile telephone number could not connect.