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National Union of Air Transport Employees(NUATE), Bayelsa State Chapter has demanded for favourable working incentives for its members at the State-owned airport at Amassoma, Yenagoa.
State Chairman of the association, Mr Atie Okubokekeme made the demands while speaking with journalists on the sideline of the 2026 May Day celebrations in Yenagoa, the State capital.
He alleged that since the inauguration of commercial flights schedules in the airport it has not function ultimately due to lack of job incentives on the side of government for staffs of the facility.
Okubokekeme pleaded with the Government to fast track the payment of the 25 percent areas owed staff members of the association in the state airport, as well as their 2025 Christmas bonus.
He noted that bulk of the passengers patronizing the Port Harcourt International airport were Bayelsans who travel either to Abuja or Lagos for their businesses, political and sundry issues at the expense of the state-owned airport, causing revenue leakages to the state.
The NUATE boss who also bared his mind on transportation problems facing staff of the facility demanded for the procurement of befitting vehicles to commute the airport workers to and from Yenagoa when going to work, noting that the current bus used by staff is a 16 seater rickety bus which carries over forty staffs to and from the facility on daily basis.
He described the bane of the airport’s growth as lack of the political will by the government and management to make it a tourist delight, thereby causing capital flight in the state to other airports in neighboring states.
He said: “Well, our airport is functioning, but not ultimately. We’ve flight once a week, that’s only Mondays. And what it means that in all other days of the week we don’t have flight schedules which has affected the growth of the facility.
“There are no incentives for staff of the airport. Even the December bonus that was paid to other civil servants in the state was not paid us. And this is May, we’ve not still received our December, 2025 Christmas bonus.
“NUATE members in the State haven’t also been paid the 25 percent increment arrears which were approved by the Governor since last year as we speak. This union is completely abandoned by the Government. It’s like the Government has forgotten that it has employed workers in the airport. Our situation is very pathetic”.
