The Anambra International Airport which was at the verge of shutdown on Sunday morning, was saved by the Anambra state government from the near disaster following plans by air traffic controllers and other essential service providers to stop work because of ejection of the workers from their hotels.
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) workers had already refused to go to work; an action that would have disrupted flight operations to Anambra State.
A radio message by controllers read, “any station/DATCO sending flight to Anambra Airport today (Sunday) should first confirm whether the airport is operational.
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“The reason is that all NAMA staff working at the airport were suddenly vacated from accommodations yesterday without prior information. Even those on duty are being asked to pay for their accommodations for last night.
As at the time of this report we are all in hotel packing our belongs to leave.”
BusinessDay learnt that this however made the state government quickly reached out to the management of NAMA to forestall actions that would cut off air travel to the state and attendant hiccups to passengers who would have suffered hardship of flight disruptions.
Abayomi Agoro, president, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) confirmed that the state government had reached an agreement with the workers to continue to provide accommodation for them in the discharge of their duties.
