The minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, has said that airport concessionaires would inherit 14.25 per cent of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) staff working at the terminal buildings.
Sirika disclosed this during his presentation of the Nigeria Airport Terminal Concession Strategy to the House of Representatives in Abuja yesterday.
He said the 14.29 per cent is 1,158 of the total workforce of 8,100 FAAN staff working at the terminal buildings which, according to him, are the items for concession.
He further said with the coming on stream of the new buildings in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano more manpower would be needed.
Besides, he said FAAN had taken over Kebbi, Bauchi, Gombe, Osubi, Dutse, airports and would require more hands.
Sirika further stated that the successful concession of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano and Abuja airports would lead to improved provision of infrastructure at the airports, while passenger traffic would also increase at the terminals.
On staff of FAAN with the concessionaire, he said staff redeployed to the concessionaires would have the option of returning to FAAN after a period of 18 to 24 months, while staff not required by a concessionaire would also be allowed to return to FAAN after the 18 to 24 months period.
The minister maintained that the benefits of transferred staff would also be paid by FAAN on completion of the 18 to 24 months if the staff decides to stay with a concessionaire.
Besides, Sirika said the concessionaires would sign service level agreements with FAAN and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to ensure that airport operates efficiently, while the service level agreement would cover the runway, taxiway, security and air traffic management.
“FAAN will negotiate benefits to be paid with the unions before completion of the handover. Traffic will increase as a result of increased efficiency and expansion, costs will reduce due to efficient operations and FAAN will be paid its own share of Passenger Service Charge (PSC) and security levy directly from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
“All other facilities at the airports will still be managed by FAAN. Our airports are national security assets. This must be kept so. The concessionaire(s) will provide the investment required to upgrade the existing terminals, take over the new terminals and maintain them over a period of time to be determined based on financial assessment of each transaction.
“Passenger service charge and security charge will be shared by FAAN and the concessionaire(s) and FAAN’s share of the charges shall be paid directly to FAAN by IATA.
“FAAN will be required to provide manpower through Aviation Security (AVSEC) for the security of both the airside and landside,” he added.
He further said the concessionaires would be expected to provide and maintain landside equipment, while FAAN continues to provide and maintain airside security equipment.
On the existing concession contracts within the terminal, he said they would be transferred to the concessionaire(s) as part of their management obligations.
He assured that tariffs would be regulated in accordance with the procedures set in the concession agreement.
