...as airline says disruption will lead to over N400m loss ….”we have no affiliation to the Imo government
The organized Labour Unions disrupted all flights to Owerri across airports in the country this morning.
Apart from flights heading to the Imo state capital, other flights were disrupted leaving many passengers stranded.
The unions say, they embarked on the exercise over the disruptions to the workers Day rally by thugs alleged to be agents of the state government.
The decision of the action tagged, “No Flight To Owerri” was reached Monday night at the end of an emergency joint central working committee meeting of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The letter directed members in the aviation sector to paralyse flight to Imo State beginning from mid-night of Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
“The government of Imo State has grossly violated the rules of engagement amongst the Social partners in industrial relations in the country by using thugs to violently disrupt this year’s May Day in Imo State, that properties were vandalised and looted by the invading thugs of the government and that some workers sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of that attack”.
Meanwhile, Management of Air Peace is not happy that, their Owerri flight was not only disrupted but their other schedules were affected.
They also stated that, while other airlines heading to Owerri where allowed to leave Air peace counters where not allowed to process other passengers to different destinations.
According to them, the the unions had written to them yesterday, saying that no flight should be operated into Owerri today because, as alleged, Governor Uzodimma disrupted their May Day activities few days ago.
In a statement, the airline says, the NLC and TUC officials stormed their Lagos the airport and took over our counter, disrupting all our operations because of an alleged misunderstanding they had with Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State.
“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 400 million naira 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”.
The airline stressed that, “Air Peace has no affiliation whatsoever with the Imo State Government or Governor Uzodimma. 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”.
“This is not the first time the NLC or unions will be attacking Air Peace for issues that have no bearing with the airline. There was a time they attacked Air Peace because they were protesting minimum wage with the Federal Government. While the minimum wage was 18,000 naira then, the minimum wage at Air Peace was even 50,000 naira”.
The airline also noted that, it is even more worrisome that the security agencies were watching while an airline that is discharging its duties to the country is being harassed and hounded by miscreants at these airports, and this is not the first time.
“We do not understand why Air Peace and aviation should be selected for this kind of treatment. If they have a grouse against Governor Uzodimma, that should be taken to Imo State. Why are they not stopping road transport workers who are going to Imo State?”.
It added, “Aviation borders on national security and we have been made a laughing stock in the world. Who is going to pay Air Peace over 400 million naira lost today and in the coming days?”.
“We use this opportunity to alert the Nigerian flying public that all our flights will be disrupted today and in the coming days because cancellations will follow. 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”.
