Aviation unions in Nigeria have announced plans to shut down airports across the country starting September 18, in response to the Federal Government’s refusal to reverse a 50% revenue deduction policy affecting various aviation agencies. The unions argue that these deductions are crippling the financial stability of key organizations within the sector.
The planned strike was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday, signed by key union leaders including Ocheme Aba, General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees; Frances Akinjole, Deputy General Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria; Abdul Rasaq, Secretary General of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals; Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers; and Sikiru Waheed, General Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical, and Recreational Services Employees.
The unions’ main concern revolves around the increased deductions from the internally generated revenues of agencies such as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau. Initially set at 25% in October 2022, the deduction rate was raised to 40% shortly thereafter and then further increased to 50% by President Bola Tinubu in January 2024.
The statement read in part, “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, organizations. As such they cannot survive on half of their incomes under any model of administration or any other guise whatsoever. The ultimatum given to the Minister of Aviation on the same has expired since the end of August 2024.
“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 event that the industry becomes dysfunctional as a result of financial incapacity due to the deductions at source.
“All State Councils, Women Commissions /Committees, Youth Councils and Branches of our Unions nationwide are to fully mobilise for, and ensure full compliance and success of the peaceful protests.”
