Nigerians may face flight disruptions soon as aviation workers plan a nationwide strike on August 21, 2024, in response to the Federal Government’s ongoing deduction of 50% from the internally generated revenue of key aviation agencies.
The unions announced their intentions in a letter dated August 14, 2024, titled “Save Aviation From Collapse,” which was shared with journalists on August 15. The agencies affected by this revenue cut include the NCAA, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, the Nigerian Meteorological Services Agency, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
The letter states in part:
All workers of the NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, NiMet, NCAT, and NSIB, joined by the 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 per cent from the internally generated revenue of the agencies mentioned above through exemption.
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 unions warned that essential safety operations within these agencies are already at risk due to the financial strain caused by the deductions. They cautioned that they cannot be held responsible if the aviation industry becomes nonfunctional as a result of these financial challenges.
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,” the union said
The unions have instructed all state councils, women’s commissions, youth councils, and branches across the country to fully mobilize their members to ensure complete compliance with the strike directive.