Youths of the host communities of the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Ngor-Okpala, have threatened to shut down the airport if the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN, does not stop alleged denial of employment opportunities to its members.
The Youths who operate under the ageis of Onyeaghalanwanneya Youth Movement issued this threat in a petition forwarded the Imo State Assembly through Hon. Obinna Egu, House minority leader and member representing Ngor-Okpala in the Assembly.
In the strongly worded petition entitled “SoS on the Unconscionable, Wicked and Perpetual Denial of Host Community Employment Right by Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN,” and signed by Comrade Chukwuma Anuforo, President, Comrade Casmir Eke, Secretary, Comrade Chinedu Opara, Director of Public Affairs and Media and Comrade Chidi Njoku member of Board of Trustees (BoT) the youths called on the House to as a matter of urgency intervene and bring to an end their marginalization by FAAN to avert the escalation of the anger of their members.
According to them since the airport began operations over two decades ago not a single son or daughter of the land had secured employment through the authority even after series of negotiations the last of which saw them send Mr. Ikechi Uko and Barr. Mark Jacob, directors of administration and legal services to Owerri, to negotiate with them.
They regretted that few months after the negotiation during which promises of employment were made FAAN employed over 2000 senior workers without giving them a single slot pointing out that, only recently in November 2015, to be exact, the agency again got Federal Government approval to employ another 720 workers to beef up aviation security.
The youth body said it was pained that FAAN had continued to shortchange it even when its members have complied with every single agreement and directive including members taking maximum risk to travel by night to Abuja to take part in recruitment interview after performing creditably in Computer Based Test (CBT) in Owerri and obeying the tenets of peace accord reached.
Insisting that they have had enough of FAAN volte face and unbridled gross marginalization the youths pleaded with the legislature which it said is its last hope in the circumstance to come to its aid and help call FAAN to order before it is too late.
