Tensions flared at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Wednesday morning as protesting members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) temporarily shut down operations in opposition to the federal government’s planned concession of the facility.
The protest followed recent remarks by Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, who revealed the government’s intention to hand over the management of the Port Harcourt and Akanu Ibiam International Cargo Airports to private investors. He defended the move by claiming the airports were not financially viable under government control.
But NUATE strongly disagreed, staging a peaceful demonstration at the airport and accusing the federal government of deliberately misrepresenting the facts. The workers carried placards with inscriptions such as “Concession is a Scam,” “Port Harcourt Airport is Viable,” and “FAAN Workers Say No to Fraud.”
Felix Ohwoefe, NUATE’s chairman at the Port Harcourt airport, dismissed the minister’s claims and described the proposed concession as a deliberate attempt to hand over a profitable public asset to private interests.
“Port Harcourt Airport is one of the top-performing airports in the country,” he said. “It competes with Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja in terms of revenue and passenger traffic. Calling it unviable is a blatant falsehood.”
Ohwoefe further criticized the government for overlooking other airports in the North and South-West that are genuinely struggling. “There are less productive airports that could be considered for concession, but instead, the government is targeting one of the most viable ones,” he said.
He vowed that the union would not relent until the government withdraws its decision. “This is not a fight we will abandon. We are standing our ground. The workers at this airport are united and determined. Port Harcourt will not be concessioned without a fight.”
The protest, though peaceful, disrupted several operations at the airport, underscoring growing discontent among aviation workers over the government’s concession policy. The union has hinted at escalating its action if the federal government fails to reconsider its decision.