The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed aviation agencies and airlines to work out realistic repayment plans for outstanding debts owed by the carriers, as part of measures to prevent further industrial disruptions in the sector.

A statement by the Permanent Seccretary, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mahmud Kambari, stated that the minister gave the directive on Thursday after convening an emergency meeting with airline operators, aviation sector unions and heads of aviation agencies.

The meeting followed Tuesday’s industrial action that temporarily disrupted operations of most airlines on Tuesday at some Nigerian airports.

The statement hinted further that the meeting also resolved to allow aviation unions direct access to workers of all airlines to distribute unionisation forms, with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) directed to sanction any airline that prevents such access, but noted that workers had a right to decide not to belong to unions.

The Permanent Secretary noted that the emergency meeting was convened to address the “burning issues” in the sector and foster greater understanding, cooperation and progress among stakeholders.

According to the statement, under the resolutions reached at the meeting, the NCAA and other aviation agencies were to obtain payment schedules from indebted airlines, with the repayment period spread over a reasonable timeframe, taking into consideration the airlines’ cost of operations and prevailing economic realities.

He said: “The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other heads of aviation agencies are to obtain schedule of payments from the airlines, spread over a reasonable timeframe, taking into cognizance, Airlines cost of operation and current economic realities.

‘The Honourable Minister of Aviation recognises the right of workers to decide not to belong or to belong to unions; the Honourable Minister also recognises the rights of the workers to decide for themselves, rather than through management.

“As a result, the NCAA should immediately ensure that the unions have direct access to the workers of all airlines only to distribute their forms for the workers to directly indicate whether they intend to unionise or not. Any airline that prevents this direct interface will be sanctioned by the NCAA.”

Keyamo warned against prevention of staff by the airlines to joining any unions of their choice, threatening that any carrier that prevented the staff from doing so would be sanctioned by the NCAA.

“That the resolutions contained in (i-iv) above are the collective decisions of all parties.

“While assuring all stakeholders of the safe and viable Aviation Sector, the Honourable Minister reiterated the committment of President Bola Tinubu towards maintaining a safe, efficient, peaceful and sustainable aviation industry,” the statement added.