Some former employees of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who refused to quit the quarters allocated to them while in services of the aviation agency have their hope of continuing stay dashed following their eviction from the facility.
The eviction became necessary following complaints that some staff who retired long ago and after collecting their entitlements were still holding on to their quarters, while the serving staff of the agency were denied accommodation.
The agency succeeded in evicting the six retirees after several attempts in the past failed. A combined team of officials lead by Nigerian Police, and FAAN personnel from security, administration, legal, operations, environment, estate and stores departments stormed the official quarters in the early hours to eject and remove the property of the recalcitrant retirees.
Meanwhile, a source claimed that four policemen from the Airport Police Command, who took part in the eviction were arrested and detained on the instruction of their superiors for participating in the exercise without “official approval.
They were alleged of taking firearms to the quarters without approval.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Airport Command, Joseph Alabi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) promised to investigate the involvement of his colleagues .
However, Chairman of Aviation Parastatals Retirees, Chief Thadeus Obidike said the eviction of the retirees violated existing agreement between FAAN and its former workers who are covered in the Monetisation Policy of government. He stated that the matter was already in court, adding that FAAN acted in violation of existing discussions.
But in a swift reaction, the Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, said the authority took the right steps to evict the retirees having served them series of notice to pack out of the duty quarters.She further explained that the six affected retirees were the first batch of former workers who have abused the privilege granted by the authority.
Yakubu declared that FAAN took the right steps to secure the “duty quarters” to ensure that serving staff in essential operations department have accommodation to respond timorously to emergencies.
She stated that if the previous occupants failed to vacate the quarters, the serving staff would not have accommodation.
According to her,”FAAN evicted the retirees from the duty quarters because the affected persons have been paid their gratuity and other entitlements in the last one year. They have to vacate the duty quarters because FAAN has paid them and written several notices to them. They were even given an ultimatum, and they signed a letter of undertaking that they will move. But, as at yesterday they refused to move and we have to activate the evict order. The issue of FAAN harassing them does not arise, FAAN acted within the laws of the land”.
She continued, “the apartments cannot be sold, they are duty houses for essential staff . Such people have to disabuse their minds from thinking that they can buy government houses. In the condition of service, the provisions made have being complied with. The affected retirees are just giving excuses, which do not hold any water. They should plan for retirement, it is lack of planning that leads to this type of embarrassment of holding on to government houses after retiring from service. If they do not leave how will serving staff have quarters to occupy. Duty houses are needed to run the airport system effectively.”
