Aviation workers have issued a notice of a Day-strike in protest against the federal government’s deduction of 50 percent from the internally generated revenues of agencies in the aviation sector.
In a notice issued on Wednesday, trade unions in various agencies of the ministry directed all aviation workers to down tools next Wednesday, August 21, consequently shutting down airports and aircrafts on the said day.
The notice is jointly signed by leaders of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots Engineers, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical And Recreational Services Employees, and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.
“All workers of the NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, NiMet, NCAT and 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 notice read partly.
The President Bola Tinubu-led administration had implemented a policy that allows it to authomatically deduct 50 percent from the revenues of agencies in the Ministry of Aviation.
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Trade unions in the aviation agencies argued that the decision poses a threat to the aviation sector as the agencies could not survive on 50 percent of their revenues “under any model of administration, or any other guise whatsoever.”
According to the statement titled: “Save Aviation From Collapse – Notice Of Nationwide Protest”, the unionists say efforts to make the government change its position were futile.
“All the Agencies are cost recovery, and not profit making, organisations.”
The unionists say that the deductions are beginning to affect crucial safety-related operations within the affected agencies.
“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 statement read further.
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