The Domestic Airports Cargo Agents Association (DACAA) has revealed that Nigeria suffered a significant economic setback, losing approximately N7 billion in cargo transport due to the two-day nationwide strike organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) earlier this week.
Mr. Ikpe Nkanang, Chairman of the DACAA Board of Trustees, disclosed this information in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
Nkanang explained that the strike, which took place on Monday and Tuesday, halted the daily transportation of about 30 tonnes of cargo across the country’s domestic airports.
“The impact of the strike on the cargo sector was profound,” Nkanang said. “A large volume of cargo was ready for shipment on Monday morning, but the strike stopped all operations. For those two days, the airlines were not working, and once the airlines are not working, cargo cannot move. It is a great loss to all of us.”
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Nkanang elaborated on the scale of the loss, stating, “You needed to see the volume of cargo that was dumped over those two days. Of course, we gathered cargo over the weekend, hoping to send them out on Monday and Tuesday. It was a colossal loss to us in the cargo world. It affected our income and the country’s economy. For those few hours of the strike, the country lost about N7 billion across all local airports.”
The cost of transporting a kilogram of cargo is N300, according to Nkanang.
Nkanang urged the Federal Government to reach an agreement with organized labour promptly to prevent the resumption of the strike. He emphasized the critical need for a swift resolution to avoid further economic damage.
The strike was suspended on Tuesday afternoon to allow for continued negotiations on a new minimum wage. During the strike, airport operations were grounded as aviation unions blocked all access points to domestic terminals.