By Our Reporter
Abuja (Precise Post) – The recent relocation directives reeled out to the aviation agencies to move their headquarters to Abuja by the minister of aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has been described as inauspicious at a time the agencies had already been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter signed and addressed to the minister by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) through the secretary, Comrade Ocheme Aba, NUATE said the timing of the relocation directive was unsuitable for any government to engage in the mass movement of people because of safety of lives.
“One would not expect the government to contravene its own laws and guidelines regarding the unnecessary movement of people, especially across states. Not to talk of subsisting closure of airports.
While going down the memory lane, the union recalled why the relocation idea mooted in 2012 was yet to be carried out till date saying: “it was because the cost implication was determined and found exceedingly prohibitive and there was no source of revenue that could accommodate such unforeseen expenditure hence such issue died. A natural death.
In most agencies, most staff are being owed transfer allowances for upward of 12 months. It. Is difficult to understand how an agency that has not been able to pay transfer allowance for a few staff can afford to relocate a whole headquarters comprising several offices and personnel without extra-budgetary support
