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Aviation Unions Set to Shut Down Airports over Condition of Service

Four major aviation unions may withdraw their services if the much expected Condition of Services (CoS) being worked on, by the government is not implemented on time.
Air Transport Senior Services Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE)/
The joint leadership of the union had already asked each of the unions to take their respective decisions and convey the same to the appropriate authorities as the various unions could no longer tolerate such an unwholesome circumstance.
It was gathered that there is likelihood of the unions withdrawing their services, especially if their demands for their reviewed CoS are not met in the coming weeks.
In a communique issued at the end of the Joint Action Committee meeting of ATSSSAN, NUATE, ANAP and NAAPE held at the ANAP Secretariat over the weekend, the unions lamented the seizure of the approval of the reviewed CoS of Aviation Agencies including the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which have been due for over 7 years.
Part of the document read, “After thorough review of the unfortunate seizure of the approval of the reviewed CoS of Aviation Agencies, including NAMA, NCAA, FAAN and NiMet, which have been due for upwards of 7 years, as well as non implementation of the minimum wage/consequential adjustment since April, 2019 in all aviation agencies, save the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT),the union has resolved that they have ran out explanation to their members as to the basis of the delay of the release of the CoS of the affected agencies.
According to the document jointly signed by the deputy general secretary, ATSSSAN, Comrade Frances Akinjole, general secretary, NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba, Secretary General, ANAP, Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu, Deputy Secretary General, NAAPE, Comrade Umoh Ofonime, the affected workers have severally expressed their resolution not to continue to render services without valid CoS.
It further added that the leadership of the unions has approached government agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Aviation with very minimal results to the solution of the matter.
Earlier, Comrade Saidu had informed that ANAP will vigorously pursue the issue of workers Condition of Service (CoS) in 2022 to a conclusive end.
Speaking shortly after the joint meeting at his office at the Murtala Mohammed Airport on workers expectation in 2022, Saidu said the CoS has caused embarrassment to the unions and must be achieved this year in all the agencies in the sector.
Saidu, expressed the hope that all the unions in the industry this year, will speak with one voice to actualise this goal, adding that it has lingered for too long.
He noted that the main duty of the unions was to protect the working conditions of their members.
“Conditions of Service is very important, when you get approval, there must be a letter and by the Act, it’s the governing board of directors that is charged on day to day to approve the workers condition and promotion. It’s not vested in the ministry and the minister. He said in the absence of a board there will be an interim board.
Where is the interim board. So what is delaying them from writing letters and informing the chief executives of the state of the CoS?” Saidu asked.
He urged the Management of parastatals to appoint those that merit the appointment on the order of seniority and not to allow any vacuum.
Saidu advised the Chief Executives Officers of Aviation Agencies, not to encourage contract staff and also not to allow the retirees to come back as consultants.
He urged workers to be ready to fight for their rights this year as the unions were ready to protect them.
On airport concession, ANAP scribe said it was a failed project as there was nothing to be concessioned at airports.
He added that the concession arrangement will never work until the labour matters were resolved on concession by setting up the committee to discuss their issues.
Warning that the proposed concession should not be done like that of moribund Nigeria Airways, he said “To me, I don’t believe there will be a concession because I only saw that the minister wanted to be in the news so that people will think he is working. How do you concession when you took loan from China? We have presented our papers, we have met with the NASS, we have met with him and we told him but he is not listening and it’s not feasible. But we have told him, if you want to concession even if it’s Aso Rock, you can concession but people working there must be paid their entitlement.”
He said they have met more than three times to set up a committee on labour matters, insisting that those workers who have served to a certain period must be paid accordingly, while the cut off years of the pensioners must be taken care of.
News
TikTok Returns on Apple, Google US App Stores as Trump Delays Ban

TikTok returned to the U.S. app stores of Apple and Google on Thursday as President Donald Trump delayed a ban on the Chinese-owned social media app and assured the tech giants they would not be fined for distributing or maintaining it.
The popular short video app used by nearly half of all Americans went dark briefly last month, before a law took effect on January 19 that requires its Chinese owner ByteDance either to sell it on national security grounds or face a ban.
The following day, Trump signed an executive order seeking to delay the enforcement of the ban by 75 days, allowing TikTok to continue its operations in the U.S. temporarily.
Although TikTok resumed service after Trump’s assurances, Google and Apple kept the app removed from their U.S. app stores.
TikTok, the second-most downloaded app in the U.S. last year, said on Thursday that its latest app was now available for download.
The delay could have been because Google and Apple were awaiting assurances that they would not be prosecuted for hosting or distributing the app, according to analysts.
Trump’s directive said the companies, which run mobile application stores or digital marketplaces where users can browse, download and update apps, would not face penalties for keeping the TikTok app up and running.
TikTok had more than 52 million downloads in 2024, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
About 52% of its total downloads were from Apple App Store, while 48% were from Google Play in the U.S. last year, Sensor Tower said.
The law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets or ultimately face a ban was signed by then President Joe Biden last April, triggered by national security concerns and fears that China could use the video-sharing app to spy on American users.
The U.S. has never banned a major social media platform and the law that passed last year gives the government sweeping authority to ban or seek the sale of other Chinese-owned apps. Trump said on Thursday that his 75-day deadline on TikTok could be extended.
The turmoil at TikTok attracted several potential buyers, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who have expressed interest in the fast-growing business that analysts estimate could be worth as much as $50 billion.
Trump has said that he was in talks with multiple people over TikTok’s purchase and would likely have a decision on the app’s future in February.
News
FG Order MDAs to Close Commercial Banks’ Accounts, Enforce TSA Policy

Federal government has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) operating in states to close their accounts with commercial banks and fully comply with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy.

Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the Federation,
The directive was issued by Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the Federation, during a working visit to the Federal Pay Office in Benin, Edo State.
This was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday by Bawa Mokwa, director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the TSA policy, Madein warned that no MDA should operate accounts with commercial banks unless expressly approved by the President and officially communicated by her office.
The statement reads:
“While reiterating the Federal Government’s commitment to the Treasury Single Account policy, the Accountant-General of the Federation urged the Federal Pay Officers to monitor and ensure that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in the States do not operate any account with the commercial banks or circumvent any provision of the TSA policy.”
She further stressed that any exceptions must follow strict guidelines, requiring presidential approval and formal communication from the Office of the Accountant-General.
Madein also tasked Federal Pay Officers (FPOs) with ensuring compliance, upholding transparency, and maintaining professionalism in their financial operations.
She warned against actions that could undermine the integrity of the Federal Treasury and emphasized the need for accurate financial record-keeping.
As part of ongoing reforms, she revealed that the Federal Government is constructing new Federal Pay Offices in some states to address infrastructure and operational challenges.
She assured that her office remains committed to the welfare of its personnel while enforcing compliance with financial regulations, including the Public Procurement Act and the Constitution.
Her visit to the Benin Federal Pay Office was part of a nationwide tour to assess the operations and challenges of Federal Pay Offices across the country.
News
NBRDA Investigates Biocatalysts for Bioethanol Production

National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) is investigating the development of biocatalysts from underutilised bioresources through its Young Researchers Forum (YRF) research group for bioethanol production.
Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, director general, NBRDA sated this in an interview conducted in Abuja on Wednesday
Biocatalysts, which can be either bacteria or enzymes, are biological entities that accelerate chemical reactions.
An alcohol-based fuel derived from renewable resources such as plants and algae is called bioethanol. It can be blended with petrol or used in place of it to cut down on petroleum use.
He asserted that bioethanol is crucial and that Nigeria has the means to fully investigate its possibilities, noting that the production of bioethanol will be helpful in setting up bioethanol plants.
“However, the catalyst for the fermentation of sugar to produce ethanol is what we are after, and we have it locally.
“When we isolate the biocatalyst, it is going to be useful in helping to establish a bioethanol factory, which will function very well due to our varying weather conditions,’’ he said.
Bioethanol has similar uses to fuels used to generate other classes of energy like heat, motor power, transportation, and electricity, the NBRDA chief added.
According to him, bioethanol is the most widely used biofuel in modern civilisation, and the process of turning biomass into bioethanol is receiving a lot of attention.
“Biological energies are renewable fuels with minimal pollution and play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas pollution, and one of them is bioethanol, which is obtained from fermentation operations.
“The world’s attention to the use of bioethanol as an energy source is focused on reducing the cost of production and increasing the efficiency of the ethanol industry.
“By consuming ethanol fuel instead of fossil fuels, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions known to be the cause of global warming will be somehow reduced,’’ Mustapha said.
According to the D-G, the creation of the Young Researchers Forum (YRF) demonstrates the agency’s efforts to support nation-building.
He added that young biotech innovators chosen from across the agency’s departments will use the conference as a training ground and launching pad.
The YRF, according to Mustapha, was a manifestation of his wish to establish an institutional framework for mentoring that would close generational divides.
He stated that one of the projects the YRF would concentrate on was the development of biocatalysts for the manufacture of bioethanol.
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