The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has appealed to striking labour unions to desist from politicising the labour movement. Keyamo made this known in a statement via his official twitter (X) handle of the Ministry on Thursday the 9th of November, 2023.
The statement comes in response to reports indicating that members of labour unions blocked both the entry and exit ways of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, causing a massive traffic congestion.
The unions had taken this action following their decision to halt flight operations to Imo State in protest against an attack on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.
Keyamo condemned the incident involving the assault on the Labour president in Imo State but stated that such issues should not lead to disruptions in the aviation sector.
He went further to emphatically highlight the economic importance of the aviation industry to Nigeria’s development and urged the unions to consider the greater national interest.
In his statement, Keyamo stated, ‘I appeal to the Labour unions to desist from playing politics under the banner of the Labour movement.‘
‘While I strongly condemn the unfortunate incident involving the manhandling of the Labour president in Imo State, it is my firm belief that the aviation sector should not be targeted due to its vital role in our nation’s economic progress.‘
The Minister’s plea comes as a reminder of the significance of maintaining a stable and functioning aviation sector, crucial for the overall well-being, growth and development of Nigeria.
He also urged the unions to engage in constructive dialogue and proffer solutions to their grievances without disrupting essential services and inconveniencing the general public.
 handle of the Ministry on Thursday the 9th of November, 2023.){kind=link}