The national executive of the Nigerian Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has suspended its Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch chairman, Comrade Eritex Shola Idowu, over alleged diversion of funds.
The body in a letter dated March 9, 2020 with the reference number: NUATE.GS/ESICHIR.LOSFAAN/ENP/001-20, with the head ‘Letter of Suspension’ and signed by its Head of Admin, Mrs. Philip Nkiru, ordered Idowu, to handover all union materials to Comrade Emmanuel Onyeukwu.
According to the letter, which was made available to The NEXT EDITION, Idowu allegedly admitted receiving some amount of money from FAAN’s management on behalf of NUATE, but refused to send the sum to the official account of the association.
The letter also alleged that its headquarters had received reports from the Body of Branch Chairmen, Secretaries, Treasurers and its members from FAAN nationwide who attended the three-day retreat in Ota, Ogun State, last week on the conduct of Idowu, which it said was unbearable.
The letter stated that his suspension was “till further notice” and directed him not to function as the branch chairman of NUATE pending when the issue would be resolved.
The letter added: “You could not give any reasonable account of expenditure for the money. Whereas Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) utilised their own sums to provision for their members satisfactorily, NUATE members were subjected to ridicule by your failure to make any provisions for them.
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“In addition to these infractions, there are a plethora of complaints against your management and leadership style. The above stated infractions, has put our union in public opium, apart from the embarrassment to members. The situation is regrettable and unacceptable.
“Consequently, you are hereby suspended from performing the function of branch chairman, FAAN Lagos Branch till further notice. You are hereby directed to handover all union matters, materials and properties to Comrade Emmanuel Onyeukwu who is hereby appointed to act as chairman of branch pending when all issues related to the matter are conclusively dealt with.”
The letter also stated that a committee had been set up to look into the issues raised in depth and advice on further appropriate steps to be taken, assuring that the committee would give the ousted chairman the opportunity to defend himself, accordingly.
It would be recalled that the unions in collaboration with FAAN had last week held a three-day conference with the theme: ‘Collective Bargaining: A Tool for Superior Organisational Performance,’ in Ota, Ogun State for all its staff in the three unions; NUATE, ATSSSAN and ANAP.
Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, the Managing Director of FAAN and other dignitaries graced the occasion and presented speeches.
