The Nigeria Labour Congress has kicked against the provisions contained in some clauses in the six executive bills before the National Assembly seeking to amend the laws establishing aviation agencies.

The agencies are the Nigerian Meteorolical Agency, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Accident Investigation Bureau and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.

NLC President Ayuba Wabba expressed the reservation in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening of the three-day public hearing on the bills, by the House of Representatives Committee on aviation.

He said some provisions contained in the proposed amendments were inconsistent with the globally recognised aviation and labour laws.

He said there were also some duplication and transfer of responsibilities which might not augur well for the sector.

Wabba alleged that some provisions were being pushed by the private sector pushing for the concession of the nation’s airports.

He flayed an amendment aimed at placing the sector as an essential service to be regulated by the Minister of Aviation which, he said, was a duplication of a function given to the Minister of Labour by the Labour laws.

Earlier, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said the House Committee on Aviation was engaging the general public and stakeholders in the industry to proffer ideas through their respective memoranda to deliver an effective and efficient Civil Aviation Acts in tandem with global best practices.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the proposed amendment was to bring the respective Acts up to date with development in International Civil Aviation.

Sirika said the amendment would separate powers among the agencies, remove impediments to smooth running of the functions of all the agencies, ensure seamless coexistence between the agencies and encourage the agencies to initiate avenue of generating revenue.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.