Richard Elesho/ Lokoja
As Nigerian workers join their colleagues in other parts of the world to mark the 2020 Workers Day, those in the aviation sector have received a heart-warming assurance of better days ahead in spite of the current hardship caused by the coronavirus-induced shutdown of the industry. 

According to the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, workers in the aviation industry were among the hardest hit economically by the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world, especially with the grounding of passenger flights and shutting down of services globally. 

A statement by James Odaudu, Director Public Affairs in the Aviation Ministry reveals that the Minister however believes that there’s a bright future for the Nigerian aviation industry after the dark times that it presently faces, hoping that the pandemic will be short-lived. 

According to the Minister, it is highly regrettable that airlines and other service providers are being forced to cope with the option of either sending their staff on compulsory leaves or reduction of their wages as occasioned by the redundancy caused by COVID-19 scourge. 

Government, he said, was aware of the dire situation in the aviation sector and will do whatever is practically possible to mitigate the consequences of the total lockdown in the industry and create an enabling environment for the sector to bounce back. 

He however appeals to  both private and public workers in the sector to keep hope alive as there’re reasons to believe that the industry will come out of the current situation stronger, and in a better situation to improve the welfare of its employees.