September 12, (THEWILL) – Aviation unions under the aegis of the National Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Association of Nigeria Aviation Practitioners (ANAP), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the Air Transports Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSSAN), have concluded have directed its members to embark on peaceful protests at all airports nationwide on September 18, 2024.
According to the unions, the directive was given to press home their demand for the discontinuation of the deduction of 50% from the internally generated revenue of the agencies.
In an official statement issued on Thursday, titled: “Save Aviation from Collapse”, signed by their leaders, Comrade Ocheme Aba, Abdul Rasaq Saidu, Francis Akinjole, Olayinka Abioye and Sikiru Waheed, the unions threatened that all workers of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), NAMA, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), joined by the solidarity of workers, have been directed to embark on peaceful at all airports nationwide, starting from September 18, 2024.
“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. 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 certain 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 protest”, the unions directed.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
