Lilian Ukagwu, Abuja
The aviation industry is set to experience a total shutdown on Tuesday as the aviation union threatens to carry out a strike.
The General Secretary Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, Com Sikiru Waheed, disclosed this to journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja
According to him, the second day of the ongoing strike will be more effective than the first day. He added that the first day of the strike was just a warning to the public and the government that they are serious about their demands.
He said, “Day two of the strike would be more effective than what you are seeing here now because we only have some leverage today to serve as a warning to other people that are travelling.”
He also urged people who have plans to travel on Tuesday to shelve their plans, saying that the strike action will be a total shutdown.
“So people who need to travel tomorrow should please don’t book a flight for tomorrow because it is going to be a total shutdown, it is not going to be like today. By 5:00 am we will be here to shut down everywhere.
“We are appealing to all those that want to travel that they should shove their journey for tomorrow because it may be disrupted. It is a warning for everyone in the public.”
When our correspondent visited the airport, it was observed that passengers arriving at the Abuja airport were left stranded due to heavy traffic and a union lockdown of the check-in halls, causing long queues and disrupted vehicular movement.
It was also observed that the entrance to the check-in halls was locked by union officials, leaving many passengers who were scheduled to travel stranded. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that many of the stranded passengers missed their flights due to the union’s actions.
The situation caused chaos and confusion at the airport, with frustrated passengers voicing their displeasure at the lack of communication and assistance from airport officials.
A passenger, Justin Chinonso said,” I don’t know why a country like Nigeria, with such a huge amount of people, will treat citizens like this. This will cause a lot of havoc for citizens.”
“Protest is normal in every civilised country. It is a way of erring our views provided that it is done peacefully. I just got into the country two days ago and do not even know about the strike just hearing that now.”
Also, another passenger who is a student of Anglican Girls’ Grammar School, Apo simply wanted to be addressed as Sharon said she had arrived at the airport and was waiting for her mother to come and pick her up.
Speaking with her mother on the telephone, the mother said she had sent a driver since 8:30 am to pick her daughter up from the airport but due to the gridlock at the airport the driver has been in the traffic for close to three hours.
