Delayed Flights on the Horizon as Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Threaten Strike

The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) has complained about the poor working conditions which they face, and have subsequently threatened industrial strike action. This came after the death of an Air Traffic Controller, Aniekan Effiong Inuk at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

On Tuesday, the association released a statement – signed by both the President and the Secretary of the association, Abayomi Agoro and Agbonlahor Felix – which stated nine members have died on active service due to stress-related health problems within the last two years. The group attributes the problems to poor working conditions and inadequate staffing in the airports.

The NATCA gave a two-week ultimatum which started from the date of the release of the press statement for their demands to be met, otherwise they would not be able to assure people of industrial harmony.

The association also announced that they would be commencing the three-hour flow control for a period of two days, in order to further drive home their demands. This three-hour flow control means that flights will be delayed, and many passengers would be left stranded across airports.

The statement read that the NATCA held an emergency meeting which was held over the death of their colleague which was termed “tragic, painful and avoidable.” This underlines the strong feelings of the association towards the working conditions, with the association holding onto the belief that an improvement in the general working conditions could have prevented the death of their colleague.

According to the statement, the death of Aniekan Inuk (on active duty at Abuja airport) is connected to the lack of an operational vehicle to move him to a hospital in time for him to be kept alive.

Some of the demands listed by the association include:

• Provision of fully dedicated operational vehicles to Air Traffic Control (ATC) for the four major airports in Nigeria (Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt)
• Provision of ATC Operational rooms with quality operational chairs and headsets
• Approval and implementation of a 500% upward review of the annual ATC medical allowance to allow ATC officers carry out comprehensive medical assessment