Workers of all aviation agencies namely the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria; Nigerian Airspace Management Agency’, Nigerian Meteorological Agency’, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology’, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau have been directed by their unions to withdraw their services on August 21, 2024 to demand the discontinuation of the deduction of 50 percent from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the agencies by the Federal Government.
The unions: National Union of Air Transport Employees,; Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association; National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers; Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals in a letter titled “Save Aviation From Collapse,” dated August 14, 2024, instructed all State Councils, Women Commissions/Committees, Youth Councils and Branches of the Unions nationwide to fully mobilise for, and ensure full compliance and success of the peaceful protests
“All workers of the NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, NiMet, NCAT and NSIB, joined by the solidarity of all aviation workers are hereby directed to embark on peaceful protests at all airports nationwide on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, to demand the discontinuation of deduction of 50% from the internally generated revenue of the agencies mentioned above through exemption.”, the letter reads in part.
According to the workers, important safety-critical activities of the agencies are grinding to a halt under the burden of the deductions, adding that the agencies can no longer bear the burden.
“All efforts on our part have failed to impress it upon the Federal Government that all the Agencies are cost recovery, and not profit making, organisations. As such they cannot survive on half of their incomes under any model of administration or any other guise whatsoever.”
“Information available to us indicates that some important safety critical activities of the Agencies are grinding to a halt under the yoke of the deductions.
“It has, therefore, become incumbent on us as trade unions and workers in aviation to let the public and the government be aware that we shall bear no responsibility in the certain event that the industry becomes dysfunctional as a result of financial incapacity due to the deductions at source,” the letter reads.
The letter was signed by Ocheme Aba, General secretary, NUATE; Frances Akinjole, deputy General secretary, ATSSAN, Comrade Abdul Rasaq Saidu, Secretary General, ANAP; Sikiru Waheed, General Secretary, AUPCTRE; and Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary of NAAPE
