Senate Aviation Committee Makes Case For FAAN Staff Welfare
The Chairman, Senate Committee On Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi has stressed the need to improve staff welfare in Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Addressing the management of FAAN over the weekend, during an oversight visit to Lagos by the committee, Senator Adeyemi said: “We will be delighted to hear how far you have been able to improve the welfare of your workers. That is very important to us as legislators. We want to hear that all your workers are being well taken care of, with their well being of priority; not only in terms of equipment. For this industry, it is not just facilities that are good enough. The workers must be comfortable. The workers must be happy. For legislators, we want to hear some of the issues, challenges confronting you as workers and to be able to do that.”
On the need to provide staff quarters, he said: “To me, I want to see a situation where workers in the aviation industry will not need to stress themselves before they get to their duty post. We want to see how we can come in if there is need to provide funding for some aspects of staff well being.”
Receiving the distinguished committee, the Managing Director of FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, expressed the Authority’s appreciation to the Committee, noting that the organization has enjoyed the highest level of support, collaboration and co-operation from the Committee in her bid to realize her vision of being among the best airport groups in the world.
He highlighted some of the achievements of the Authority in the recent time to include; massive upgrade, rehabilitation and remodeling of existing terminals in FAAN’s 21 local airports, construction of 5 brand new world-class international terminals (Abuja and port Harcourt has been commissioned for use, Lagos and Kano would be commissioned before the end of the first quarter of this year, while Enugu would follow-suit, soon after), Certification of the international airports in Lagos and Abuja (Kano and Port Harcourt are in view), improvement in Safety and Security of the airports, which culminated in the recognition of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as the best improved airport in safety by Airports Council International, Africa Region, Positioning of airports for Covid-19 operations despite the decline in revenues, which attracted commendations nationally and internationally, amongst several others.
Furthermore, he enumerated some of the challenges militating against the realization of the Authority’s goals to include, capacity and contribution of airports to revenue generation, human capacity development, infrastructural gap, economic challenges affecting revenue generation, accumulated debts, rising operating and maintenance cost, amongst others. He requested the Committee to assist and collaborate with the Authority in finding lasting solutions to these challenges.
In his response, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi noted that the purpose of their visit was to fulfill the legislative oversight requirement, evaluate how resources that have been allocated are being utilized, and assist in addressing challenges affecting the industry.
He commended FAAN for the recent ratings, and also added that the achievements call for more hard work. He noted that the Committee was not able to discharge her duties last year due to the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, but stated that this year would be different as they will be visiting more often.
The Committee, which also included Senators Abba Moro, Sadiq Umar and Biodun C. Olujimi then went on inspection of projects.
