Tunde Sholanke
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Wednesday, disrupted flight operations into Owerri Airport.
Besides,flights to Owerri Airport, especially from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja and Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos were disrupted by the two unions.
The organised labour had accused Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State of disrupting its May Day celebration activities in the state
Air Peace claimed that the unions’ activities truncated its 110 flights already scheduled for Wednesday across the country, while no fewer than N400 million would be lost to the disruption.
Besides, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2), Lagos said the action of the unions affected smooth services at its terminal, while the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of MMA, was also affected.
The unions were said to have stopped airlines from carrying out operations to the Owerri Airport and some other cities in the country.
Air Peace expressed fears that its operations were no longer safe in a statement on Wednesday,alleging that officials of NLC and TUC officials had stormed the Lagos airport and took over its counters, disrupting all the operations because of the alleged misunderstanding with Uzodinma.
The statement confirmed that the organised labour had on Tuesday written to it not to operate flights into Owerri on Wednesday, following the purported disrupted of its May Day activities by the governor few days ago.
The airline maintained that it had no affiliation with the Imo State Government or Governor Uzodinma and wondered why its operations would be disrupted by the labours.
The statement added “Our duty and commitment are to the Nigerian flying public that have paid us. We have a contract with them to deliver. This morning, they carried out a selective attack on Air Peace, took over our counters and disrupted our operations.
“While they were doing this, another Nigerian airline was allowed to operate into and out of Owerri. They took over our counters in Owerri, Abuja and Lagos, disrupting over 110 flights of Air Peace. “This particular illegal action of NLC and TUC will lead to over N400 million loss to the airline. It will equally lead to massive disruptions and cancellations of our flights across the country today, and that will snowball into the coming days, too.”
Air Peace pointed out that it was not the first time the NLC or unions would be attacking its operations for issues that had no bearing with it.
It said the labour recently attacked its operations of the protest on minimum wage with the Federal Government.
It added that while the minimum wage of the Federal Government was N18,000 then, its own minimum wage was N50,000.
It also expressed the regret that the security agencies watched on while its operations were being disrupted by the unions.
The airline challenged the organised labour to directly address their issues with the State Government, rather than truncating its services to the airport and any other airports across the country.
“Why are they not stopping road transport workers who are going to Imo State?Aviation borders on national security and we have been made a laughing stock in the world. Who is going to pay Air Peace over N400 million lost today and in the coming days?” the airline added.
It alerted the Nigerian public that due to the crisis, its flights would be disrupted today and in the coming days, saying that some of the flights would be cancelled or delayed.
“Any flight we fail to operate today due to this illegal occupation of our operations will lead to cancellations in most sunset airports. Who is going to take responsibility for this? We feel highly unprotected,” the airline said.
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), also lamented current electricity hitch in Imo State and blamed the development on the ongoing industrial action by organised labour.
The company said that workers, under the organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), are on strike over alleged “violent disruption and unprovoked assault on Imo workers by agents of Imo State Government during the May Day celebration”.
A statement issued on Wednesday in Enugu by the Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh,said after its joint Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Monday, the organised labour resolved that all affiliates of both NLC and TUC in Imo State are to withdraw their services beginning from 12 midnight on Tuesday.
“Consequently, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which is EEDC’s primary source of power supply, was forced to shut down in the state this morning by 00:00 hours.As a result of this development, all customers of EEDC in Imo State under its Owerri, New Owerri, Orlu, and Mbaise districts are out of electricity supply.
“We are aware of the inconveniences this situation will cause our esteemed customers and are hopeful that the issue will be resolved in good time and supply restored to our customers,” he said.
He implored the company’s customers to be vigilant and ensure that the electricity infrastructure serving them is not attacked by vandals who might want to take advantage of the period of outage to attack and vandalise electricity facilities.
“We remain committed and working assiduously to deliver improved services to our esteemed customers,” he added.
