AKHA orders reinstatement of former airport staff to Ibom Airport Development Company
• Rt Hon Udeme Otong, Speaker, AKHA
The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has urged the State Government to promptly reinstate certain employees of the Ibom Airport Development Company Ltd (IADCL) who were previously integrated into the mainstream civil service.
The Assembly also advocated for the restoration of the affected staff’s ranks and the payment of any outstanding emoluments.
The resolution followed the consideration of the report of the House Committee on Special Projects, Implementation, and Monitoring on a petition by Comrade Ukeme Macaulay and Comrade Ubong Samuel submitted on April 23, 2024, presented by the Committee Chairman, Hon. Uwem Imo-Ita (Mkpat Enin State Constituency).
The matter was referred to the committee after Macaulay and Samuel highlighted the incorrect placement of former airport staff from the mainstream civil service who were transferred back to the Ibom Airport Development Company LTD.
Presenting the report at plenary session, on Tuesday, the committee chairman, Hon. Uwem Imo-Ita, reported that the transfer from IADCL to the mainstream civil service resulted in the loss of salaries and ranks for the affected staff, despite the Head of Service Circular No. 2/2025 regarding the absorption of employees from statutory corporations into the civil service.
He further noted that the committee found the loss of salaries and career advancement to be inconsistent with the conditions of service for IADCL employees.
Imo-Ita observed that although some staff members who were absorbed into the civil service were later reabsorbed by Ibom Airport Development Company LTD (IADCL), the issue of restoring their seniority was not adequately addressed.
The report read in part: “In 2022, in a letter signed by Uwem Ekanem (MD/CEO, IADCL) headed “Request for reabsorption and restoration of seniority for trained airport workers needed in critical roles at Victor Attah International Airport from Ibom Airport Development Company LTD (IADCL) to the Head of Service, IADCL requested for the transfer of its staff that were absorbed into the mainstream civil service in 2015 back to IADCL”.
The committee report was received through a motion by the House Leader, Hon. Sunday Johnny (ONNA state constituency), and was seconded by Hon. Eric Akpan (Nsit Ibom state constituency).
The House adopted the recommendation after reviewing it in the Committee of the Whole.
Following the adoption, the Speaker, Rt Hon Udeme Otong, directed the Clerk of the assembly to relay the House’s resolution to the relevant authorities for necessary action.
