The staff of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) may experience cuts in their salaries due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation sector.
The disclosure was made during the company’s 39th Annual General Meeting that held in Lagos.
Two major shareholders who spoke at the AGM advised the newly elected Chairman, Seinde Fadeni, and members of the board to adopt a survival mode to cut cost.
Chief Boniface Ebere, who raised concern over the operational expenses, stressed the need to keep bringing the cost down at NAHCO.
He said, “In terms of staff, I bring this to your notice that the board has agreed to reduce sitting allowance and also that of the staff workforce.
“I heard the discussion is ongoing with the workforce and that means it will be across board.”
Ebere said workers should be carried along. However, if they did not agree, then the “needful” must be done, he said.
He said, “Everyone one of them must be carried along. Yes, directors have set an example. It is going to be across board. Even the management as well.
“Those in the senior cadre should also know what is affecting them is also affecting the management.
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“We don’t want to lay them off now that we are not getting any business at this point in time, but due to their loyalty for the company, we want to have cuts across the board to keep their jobs.
“ When things normalise, we can go back to pay what they used to earn. We have to make sure they agree, if they do not we do the needful. That’s the truth.”
He noted that money had not come in for four months. He stressed that the pay cuts were not new as the pandemic had affected everyone in the sector.
Matthew Akinlade, another shareholder proposed lowering costs as the way forward for the firm.
