Over 500 former employees of Dana Air gathered at the company’s office in Oshodi, Lagos, on Tuesday to protest their sudden dismissal and unpaid entitlements, including their April salaries.
The workers claim they were abruptly let go without clear reasons and have not received their due compensation. This follows the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) suspension of Dana Air’s operations after an incident where one of its planes skidded off the runway at Lagos International Airport.
Dana Air stated that the layoffs are temporary, pending an audit. However, the affected employees, during their protest, vowed to fight what they termed an “injustice.” They carried placards with messages like “Give us our money,” “An airline owing its staff can’t be safe,” and “Systematic thieving.”
Magdalene Onyeukwu, the airline’s Training Manager, expressed her frustration at receiving her termination notice via WhatsApp. Having served Dana Air for 15 years, she emphasized the abruptness and lack of consideration in their dismissal, highlighting unpaid gratuity, pension, and April salaries as major grievances.
“I’ve been with Dana since 2008, dedicated through tough times. Yet, suddenly, they send WhatsApp messages saying we’re no longer needed. What about our entitlements after 15 years?” she questioned.
Aviation security supervisor Eze Chidibere also voiced his concerns, accusing Dana Air of withholding contributory pensions and stressing the need for the company to pay their due entitlements, even if they are not rehired.
“We demand our rights. Dana Air continued operations till April but hasn’t paid our April salaries. My kids are home because I can’t pay their fees. Dana deducted our money but hasn’t credited our pension accounts. This is unacceptable,” Chidibere said.
Attempts to contact Kingsley Ezenwa, the airline’s spokesperson, for comments were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls or messages regarding the protest.
