The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has appealed to aviation unions to suspend their ongoing industrial action, saying efforts to resolve the dispute were stalled after airline operators failed to attend a meeting convened by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The industrial action has continued to disrupt flight operations, leaving passengers stranded and facing significant inconvenience at airports.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Director-General, Chris Najomo, the NCAA said it was aware of the effect of the labour action on travellers and other stakeholders.
The NCAA boss appealed to the unions to, “sheathe their swords and exercise restraint” until the return of Keyamo, who the authority said had been actively involved in efforts to resolve the dispute.
According to the regulator, the grievances could have been addressed during a meeting called by the minister last week. However, the meeting failed to take place because airline operators did not attend.
“The matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the Honourable Minister last week, but the meeting could not be held as the airline operators failed to honour the invitation,” the NCAA said.
The dispute has escalated in recent days, with aviation unions shutting down operations of Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, as they pressed their demands. The development has further disrupted travel plans and left passengers stranded at airports.
Calling for a return to negotiations, Najomo said, “We appeal to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation.
We are confident that the matter will be resolved shortly and normal flight operations will resume as soon as practicable.”
The NCAA also moved to calm concerns over the safety of air travel amid the disruption, assuring passengers that the industrial action had not affected aviation safety standards.
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“The NCAA assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised, and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.
“The NCAA, however, regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers and appreciates their patience and understanding.”
Meanwhile, Air Peace has apologised to passengers affected by the disruption, describing the situation as temporary and saying it was monitoring developments.
The airline said it was contacting passengers scheduled to travel later on Tuesday with updates on their flights.
“Air Peace sincerely apologises to all affected and stranded passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control.
“Passengers scheduled to travel later today are being contacted and provided with relevant updates as the situation evolves.
“Air Peace continues to closely monitor developments and will provide further updates as necessary. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our passengers as we navigate this situation.”