ANAP warns against financing Chinese loans with 4 intl. airports revenue

By Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

The Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) has warned the management of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and all its four regional managers of the international airports in the country not to use revenue generated by airports to finance the Chinese $500m loan

ANAP secretary general, Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu who gave this warning in his office at the Murtala Mohammad Airport Ikeja, revealed that there was a secret plan by the aviation ministry directing regional managers to commence payment o the Chinese loans by remitting all revenue generated from their airports into the Chinese account

Saidu revealed that the union was yet to the agreement on the Chinese $500m loan which was granted to the country through aviation and finance ministries during the tenure of Stella Oduah as the aviation minster.

Saidu, explained that aviation unions during the just concluded public hearing on aviation, called on the committee to order the former aviation minister to release documents in which the loan was obtained. “We cannot wait and watch them turn Nigeria into Chinese slaves. That is the reason we are saying until we see the agreement, nothing should be done on the airport concession”

He said $500m was obtained as loan and the terminal was being constructed without the supervision of FAAN. “We cannot sit down here and see them dragging Nigeria into unnecessary debt, we are warning all the regional managers of airports to ignore any directive from the aviation ministry to remit money to the Chinese account as they will face the wrath of labour ”

Saidu remarked that 80 percent of the revenue generated from the international airport was used as payment of salaries for FAAN workers.

He warned that labour will not take it lightly as they will call our workers for industrial actions should money be paid into the Chinese account adding that it was an attempt to cripple the organisation on order for it to be sold away to their cronies

Saidu commended the Chairman and members of house Committee on aviation for painstakingly going through all presentation during hearing.