Council approves N1.37bn for ex-SAHCO workers

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

The National Council on Privatization (NCP) has approved N1.371 billion for the settlement of outstanding redundancy benefits owed the workers of aviation ground handling service provider – Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO).

This was one of the highlights of the 6th meeting of the Council last Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is the chair of the NCP.

The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh, had presented a memo to Council seeking its approval for the payment of the sum due to ex-SAHCO workers

The DG also informed the Council of the notice of “peaceful protest” received from ex-workers of SAHCO, who are also members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), on account of the non-payment of their outstanding severance entitlements after the disengagement of the workers from the company following its privatization in 2009.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, ‘Laolu Akande, in a statement made available to The Star on Monday, said after deliberation on the matter, the Council gave the approval for the outstanding severance entitlements of the ex-workers to be paid.

In attendance at the meeting were council members including Ministers of Power, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu; Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed; the Director-General of the BPE, Mr. Alex Okoh; representatives of Federal Ministry of Justice, heads of relevant MDAs and other senior government officials.

The Star