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Aviation unions plan protest over 50% IGR deduction
Aviation unions have raised alarms about the ongoing 50% deduction from the internally generated revenue (IGR) of aviation agencies, announcing plans for a peaceful protest.
The affected unions include the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), and the Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN).
In a joint statement, leaders from these unions expressed frustration over their unsuccessful attempts to persuade the Federal Government to exempt aviation agencies from the revenue deduction.
The statement, signed by NUATE’s General Secretary Mr. Ocheme Aba, ATSSSAN’s Deputy General Secretary Mr. Frances Akinjole, ANAP’s Secretary General Mr. Abdul Rasaq, NAAPE’s General Secretary Mr. Olayinka Abioye, and AUPCTRE’s Secretary General Mr. Sikiru Waheed, outlined the unions’ next steps.
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The statement reads: “All workers of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) are directed to participate in peaceful protests at all airports nationwide on 18th September 2024. The protest aims to demand an end to the 50% deduction from the IGR of these agencies through an exemption.
“Our efforts to convince the federal government that these agencies are cost-recovery entities, not profit-making ones, have proven futile. They cannot sustain operations on only half of their income. The deadline given to the Minister of Aviation regarding this issue expired at the end of August 2024.
“We have been informed that critical safety activities are being compromised due to these deductions. It is crucial for us as trade unions and aviation workers to inform the public and the government that we will not be held responsible if the industry faces dysfunction due to financial constraints caused by these deductions.”
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