By Nathaniel Irobi
The Federal Government yesterday signed the concession agreement for the Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Port Harcourt, with PH Airport Limited, sealing a deal that comes with firm assurances that no aviation worker will lose their job as a result of the arrangement.
The signing ceremony held at the Abuja office of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who led the government delegation; the concessionaire’s team was led by its Group Managing Director, Eyo Asuquo.
The ceremony drew key players in the aviation industry, including the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Chris Najomo; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; directors of the ministry; and leaders of the aviation unions.
In what officials described as a deliberate move to carry workers along, proceedings began with a closed-door meeting between Keyamo and the leadership of the aviation unions. The session allowed for extensive consultation on the concession process, particularly its implications for aviation workers and the future of the airport.
Addressing the outcome, Comrade Ben Nnabue, who spoke on behalf of the union leaders, said organised labour endorsed the agreement only after receiving firm guarantees on job security. He stated that their approval followed “assurances and confirmation that no aviation worker would lose his or her job as a consequence of the arrangement.”
Nnabue emphasised that “the protection of workers’ jobs remained a fundamental consideration for organised labour,” adding that the unions were satisfied with the assurances received before giving their approval to the agreement.
The unions’ endorsement was widely viewed as a significant development in the concession process, underscoring the importance of dialogue, consultation and cooperation between government, private investors and organised labour in achieving sustainable reforms within the aviation industry.
Also speaking at the event, Asuquo described Port Harcourt’s “strategic importance in the aviation and economic landscape of the Gulf of Guinea,” drawing attention to its “enormous potential as a major gateway for regional commerce, investment and connectivity.”
He expressed the concessionaire’s commitment to transforming the airport through improved infrastructure, enhanced operational standards and increased economic activities, assuring that “the arrangement would create opportunities for more employment rather than lead to job losses.”
According to him, “the vision of PH Airport Limited goes beyond taking over the management of the facility, as the company is committed to driving development, expanding opportunities and creating additional jobs through investments and the growth of airport-related activities.”
Asuquo further assured that “the company would work towards unlocking the airport’s enormous potential, leveraging Port Harcourt’s strategic location within the Gulf of Guinea to attract increased economic activities and strengthen its position as an important aviation and commercial hub.”
Following the engagements, the Minister presided over the formal signing of the concession agreement, after which the concessionaire and relevant officials of the ministry endorsed the documents, marking the successful completion of the formal execution process.
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