MD FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi
The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriesi, has dismissed reports that there was imminent retrenchment of the agency’s workers, describing such reports as mere rumours.
Uriesi stressed that there was no iota of truth in the rumour that FAAN had concluded plans to downsize its workforce to 1,500 as being peddled by some individuals whom he said felt threatened by the on-going transformation in the industry, “which has closed down all the loopholes through which they had turned FAAN into a largesse extraction and distribution factory.”
The FAAN boss, also in a chat with newsmen at the on-going 21st Airports Council International Africa Regional Conference in Livingstone, Zambia on Tuesday, revealed that FAAN would be automating its revenue processes across the airports, in order to enhance FAAN’s revenue profile, as part of the overall effort to reposition the Authority as a viable, going business concern.
"This organisation has to become a normal airport organisation, a proper airport authority. We cannot remain in the dark ages. This is 2012. Every airport in the world is automated. We are still manual. You people are here amongst the entire airport CEOs in Africa. Take the opportunity to speak to them and learn. When we automate our revenue points, it will amaze you how our revenue profile will change positively. We will automate and we will use our staff. Automation does not mean retrenching our staff".
Uriesi further said that one of the issues that affect efficiency in FAAN was continuous mass employment.
Uriesi further said that one of the issues that affect efficiency in FAAN was continuous mass employment.
“In 2010 and 2011, the authority employed more than 1,000 new people. Since I became MD, we have thus far stopped all efforts to continue to bloat the workforce which as it is, is already a huge burden to carry.
“At the same time, with the staff we have, we are only managing to meet our financial obligations of paying their salaries and maintaining the airports. We have been doing this successfully and on time in the last 10 months. This is something that has not happened in FAAN for several years. But when we start to collect our proper revenue which will happen shortly, we will get more buoyant. We really do not need to retrench our staff. We are not going to do that.”
Uriesi hinted that consequent upon the remodelling of the airports and the imminent changes in the operations of the airports, staff would be redeployed to where they are required and will continue to add value to the Authority.
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