Crisis brews as unions, FAAN terminate toll gates contract

 

  • Workers begin toll collection

A fresh crisis is brewing between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and one of its biggest concessionaires I-Cube Nigeria Limited over a contractual agreement leading to forceful take-over of the access toll gates of the airport linking International wing of Lagos airport with Ikeja.

As early as 7 am, the unions in aviation like the Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) among others  had taken over the money spinning revenue points of  the toll gates, chased away workers of the firm in  a Gestapo manner.

After chasing away I-Cube workers, the unions began toll collection from motorists which left many wondering what was happening as the exercise was conducted in a rowdy atmosphere.

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A union member told Woleshadare.net that the concession agreement for I-Cube expired since February 2019 adding that FAAN had decided not to renew the deal, stressing that another firm which had applied for the concession was granted the concession to manage the facility.

The unions said the agency needed to offer a better deal to new concessionaire to improve FAAN’s revenue base.

In a swift reaction, a top official of I-Cube who spoke to our correspondent from Europe said the firm had never defaulted in the remittance of money to the the aviation agency, wondering why it violated agreements on how to terminate a firm’s business deal.

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The source admitted that concession had elapsed adding that they applied for renewal which he said the agency claimed was studying it only to award the contract to another firm.

He further stated that the supposed new firm was the one that sued FAAN and joining them in the suite after the facility was not handed to them.

He equally noted that I-Cube would counter sue FAAN for taking a unilateral decision to storm its facilities and violation of contractual agreement.

His words, “How can take delight in Gestapo behavior of forcefully taking over businesses. They do not respect agreements and concessions they go into. For 11 years we have never defaulted. We have been true to our agreement. How can we attract foreign investments if we continue to violate contractual agreements.”

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“We shall surely seek redress in court to put a stop to all these. We have been faithful to the terms of our contract. We are not asking them to extension but they should give us notice before forceful take-over of our business”, he added.

 

Wole Shadare