Arik Airlines Workers Protest Over N20 Billion Indebtedness To Aviation Parastatals

The Air Transport Services Se­nior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) has, for the second time within a week, staged a protest, threatening to disrupt activities of Arik Airlines due to huge debt the airlines owed aviation parastatals.
According to information, the airlines is believed to be owing various parastatals in the aviation industry a total sum of N20 Billion, making it the biggest debtor in the industry.
The President of the association, Mr. Benjamin Okewu, accused the airlines of enjoying services of aviation para­statals without paying for them. He made clear that the protest the union staged was to send a notice to Arik management that the aviation workers are tired of the incessant indebtedness of Arik to all the aviation parastatals.
This was even as the Deputy Managing Director of Arik Air, Captain Ado Sanusi had recently requested that the debts of the airline should be rescheduled and the interest rates be reviewed downwards.
He said that the aviation agencies should also reschedule the debts owed them by the airlines.
“The aviation parastatals should do a re-set button for the airlines. They can look at the whole debts and negotiate with the airlines. They can reconcile the debts and tell the airlines to pay a percentage of the total debts and agree on payment modalities.”
Only in May this year, no fewer than 100 stranded Arik Air passengers took to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s tarmac in Lagos to protest against their delayed flight.
The intending travellers resorted to violent protests, invading the tarmac of the airport and disrupting a scheduled Lagos-Accra flight of Arik Air. [myad]