Several passengers at the domestic wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja were stranded on Monday amidst an ongoing nationwide strike by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
During a visit to the airport on Monday, PREMIUM TIMES observed that the entrance to the departure hall was under lock and key, while some frustrated passengers were seen seated on the ground outside the airport premises.
Some of the passengers who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES at the airport expressed frustration over the shutting down of the airport by the striking unions without prior warning from the airlines.
“They were supposed to inform us that they will be shutting down the airport long before now. They call it a warning strike. They shouldn’t have closed down the airport,” said Abdulganniyu Muhammadu-Awwal, a passenger.
Mr Muhammadu-Awwal said he came from Lagos to attend the marriage ceremony of his family members but has remained at the airport.
“There is a need to pray for the country. May God almighty help us to intervene in the affairs of this nation,” the passenger said.
Withdrawal of services
Earlier, this medium reported how aviation unions in Nigeria directed their members to withdraw services at all the country’s airports in compliance with the directive of the organised labour to embark on an indefinite strike on Monday.
The unions are the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).
However, the unions acknowledged the complexities of international travel and said the strike at international terminals would begin on 4 June.
They urged all aviation workers to recognise the significance of the strike and comply fully, assuring that branch officers would ensure complete compliance across all the airports.
The NLC and TUC, on Friday, announced their decision to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action on Monday over the failure of the federal government to conclude and pass into law a new National Minimum Wage Act and its refusal to reverse the electricity tariff hike from N225/kWh to N65/kWh.
On Monday, several offices in Abuja and other major cities were shut by the striking workers to express their frustration over lingering hardship and poor wages in the country.
PREMIUM TIMES Similarly, the nation is experiencing widespread power outages, fuel shortages, and transportation disruptions, as the workers largely disrupted essential services.
PREMIUM TIMES
