THE National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) on Sunday warned President Goodluck Jonathan that the aviation labour union may shut down the nation’s airspace if the government fails to yield to the demands of the Nigerian masses.
Such call is coming less than 24 hours before the nation is grounded by a mass general strike due to the removal of subsidy on petrol announced abruptly and implemented immediately by the Federal Government on New Year Day.
In a last minute appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan, the NAAPE President, Isaac David Balami, an engineer, appealed to the Nigerian leader to revert to the status quo.
Balami who made the appeal in Lagos said, ‘As a responsible labour union that is committed to the general good of our country men and women, NAAPE is fully on the side of the people on this critical issue. But shutting down the nation’s airspace as from Sunday January 8, 2012 midnight is not a decision anyone, including me as the NAAPE President, will ordinarily smile about.”
The labour leader advised President Goodluck Jonathan and his ministers and advisers to realize that all the agitations are actually beyond the NLC and the TUC and their affiliate labour unions.
‘It is the people themselves who have already taken to the streets, every day since Tuesday January 3, 2012,’ the engineer added.
Speaking further, Balami said, ‘No matter how well-meaning the Federal Government is on the fuel subsidy removal, the Nigerian people are clearly against the policy.’