Aviation Workers to Embark on Protest as Government Ignores Calls for Removal of 50% Revenue Deduction

Aviation workers’ unions have announced plans to stage a peaceful protest across airports nationwide on September 18, 2024.

In a joint statement, the unions blamed the Federal Government’s refusal to reverse the 50 per cent deduction policy from the internally generated revenue (IGR) of key agencies in the aviation sector for the planned action.

The statement was signed by Ocheme Aba, General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE); Frances Akinjole, Deputy General Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN); Abdul Rasaq, Secretary General of the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP); Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE); and Sikiru Waheed, General Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).

According to the unions, the protest stemmed from the government’s failure to discontinue the 50 per cent deduction from the revenue of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).

The unions emphasised that these agencies operate on a cost-recovery basis and cannot survive with half of their revenue.

“All efforts on our part have failed to impress upon the federal government that all the agencies are cost recovery and not profit-making organisations,” the statement read.

“As such, they cannot survive on half of their incomes under any model of administration or any other guise. And the ultimatum given to the Minister of Aviation has expired since the end of August 2024.”

The workers had initially raised concerns in October 2022, when the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy was introduced with a 25 per cent deduction from aviation sector agencies’ revenue.

The deduction was later increased to 40 per cent before being raised to 50 per cent in January 2024 under the current administration.

Despite previous planned industrial action and engagements with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, no progress has been made.

Keyamo had earlier acknowledged the legitimacy of the unions’ concerns and assured them that resolving the issue was a priority for the government, with President Bola Tinubu concerned about the sector’s challenges.

However, the absence of tangible action has left the workers with no option but to proceed with the planned protest.

“All workers of the NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, NiMet, NCAT, and NSIB, in joint solidarity with all aviation workers, are hereby directed to embark on peaceful protests at all airports nationwide on September 18 2024,” the unions declared.

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