By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

Members of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, have shelved its planned two days warning strike to protest the proposed merger of aviation parastatals as feelers from the Presidency indicate that government has backed down on the planned merger.

After a two day National Executive Council Meeting at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, ATSSSAN said the information at its disposal shows that the federal government will not go ahead with the planned merger. The union said  in a communique  that “ the planned strike was suspended due to the credible and authoritative overtures from the Presidency which indicate that President Good luck Jonathan has listened to the cries of the aviation workers.”

It will be recalled that aviation unions and stakeholders have been kicking against the federal government acceptance of the Chief Steve Oronsanye panel which recommended the merger of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, who is the regulator of the aviation industry with service providers like Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, and NIMET who forecast weather.

ATSSSAN also explained that it considered the “ country’s keeping of global standards, procedures and practices in order to sustain safety and security of the airspace and general operations.”