Aviation Workers To Stage Protest Against 50% Deduction From Regulatory Agencies’ Revenues

Aviation unions in the nation’s aviation sector have directed all workers to embark on a peaceful protest across all airports in the country on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, to demand the discontinuation of 50% deduction in the revenues of the NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, NiMET, NCAT and NSIB by the Federal Government.

The unions disclosed this in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP on Thursday titled, ‘Save Aviation From Collapse: Notice Of Nationwide Protest’.

According to the circular dated Wednesday, August 14, 2024, and jointly signed by Comrades Ocheme Aba, Frances Akinjole, Abdul Rasaq Saidu, Sikiru Waheed and Olayinka Abioye, the unions said some important critical safety activities of the affected Aviation agencies were grinding to a halt under the yoke of the deductions.

The unions are National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE); Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Services Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCCSTRSE).

“All workers of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA); Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET); Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), joined by 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 circular read.

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“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 Unions stated.

They, therefore, implored 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.