Nigerian Flight Deck Travel and Business Reportage
UNEXPECTED drama played out at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Ikoyi earlier today as the Commissioner of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Dr. Felix Abali failed to appear in a meeting with labour to explain what happened between him and the unionist allegedly assaulted in July.
NAAPE had petitioned the Ministry of Transportation, State (Aviation) and Labour accusing the AIB Commissioner of physically assaulting Engineer Charles Erikete, the General Secretary of the association and seeking some form of redress for what they described an abnormally for the office.
The meeting called at the instance of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity in a letter dated 26th October 2016 was chaired by the State Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Olawale Shado while an Assistant Director, Mrs. Adiekweh Fansa was assigned to oversee the dispute in question between the AIB and NAAPE.
However, the meeting which started at about 11am today was postponed because one of the principal actors in the saga, the commissioner himself was alleged to have travelled in the morning by the Head, Human Resources at AIB, Comrade Benjamin Okewu who sought to represent the commissioner.
The NAAPE representative however saw this as unacceptable stating that Okewu was not even present at the dispute and wondered how ATSSSAN President hoped to clear some of the allegations levelled against the commissioner by the union.
What was more curious according to sources was that when all the parties had returned from the meeting around 2pm, the Commissioner of AIB who was said to have travelled at the behest of the Minister of State (Aviation), Senator Hadi Sirika was seating in his office.
As a result of the non-appearance of the principal actor the meeting was rescheduled for November 16th 2016 to give the commissioner the opportunity to appear and clear some of the allegations.
Recall that this whole situation is as a result of NAAPE’s accusation of the Bureau’s commissioner, Dr. Felix Abali of what they described as assault and victimization.
The whole brouhaha is connected to the alleged ‘elevation’ saga of Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) President, Benjamin Okewu and led to a crack between management and NAAPE, AIB Branch.
Nigerianflightdeck.com learnt from the union that Chairman and Secretary of NAAPE AIB Branch, Engineer Alao and Charles Erikete were subject to the alleged victimization by the AIB boss who also allegedly physically assaulted the union’s secretary by shoving him.
NAAPE was represented in the meeting by General Secretary, Comrade Ocheme Aba; Assistant General Secretary, Comrade Femi Agbaje, Engineer Charles Irifreke who was allegedly assaulted while AIB had the ATSSSAN President Comrade Benjamin Okewu and Admin Officer AIB, Miss Ngozi Ijeoma Okoro in representation, while the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity had Mr. Olawale Shado and Assistant Director, Mrs. Adiekweh Fansa
