We Are Not Sacking Any Staff, Says Air Nigeria

Air Nigeria has described as mischievous media reports that the airline will soon lay off hundreds of staff to cut costs and tackle gargantuan operational challenges it is grappling with.

Flight cancellations and delays have reached agonising levels in Air Nigeria in recent months with flights being delayed for about 5 to 8 hours, a situation blamed on operational inefficiency and staff discontent.

The airline, owned by business mogul, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, also denied allegations that it owes salaries or does not pay staff on time, saying that “those peddling the negative rumours are disgruntled elements whose dirty objective is to tarnish our clean image.”

Workers of Air Nigeria, one of the leading airlines in the country, were said to be apprehensive over imminent sack by the management of the airline.

Reports had said that the management has threatened to reduce the workforce and workers’ salaries, even as it already owed months of salaries.

But, speaking with P.M.NEWS this morning, the Media Relations Manager at Air Nigeria, Mr. Sam Ogbogoro, said: “We are not sacking any member of staff at Air Nigeria. We don’t intend to sack anybody now or in the nearest future.

“Since Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim took over, he has been living up to expectation. Salaries have been always paid as at when due. As I am speaking to you now my last salary has been paid and it was paid on time.

“Our staff strength is in the neighbourhood of 1000 and we are even employing more people since we are starting long haul operations soon. There is therefore no basis for sacking staff when in reality we are employing more.

“This is an attempt by some disgruntled elements to tarnish our clean image.”

But, reports had said that some check-in agents also known as Customers Service Agents(CSA) and ramp agents have been leaving the organisation due to unpaid or delayed salaries.

It said that the airline is equally indebted to oil marketers, who supply aviation fuel known as Jet-A1.

—Simon Ateba