By Chinelo Obogo Flights across airports in the country may be grounded on Wednesday, September 18, as air traffic controllers are set to protest the 50 per cent deduction made by the Federal Government from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of aviation agencies. The National President of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Abayomi Agoro, said in a statement, yesterday, that the safety-critical activities of Nigeria’s aviation sector are ‘slowly grinding to a halt, reaching levels that are unacceptable.’ Agoro said that the agencies within the sector are financially constrained, rendering the sector dysfunctional, hence the urgent need for the Federal Government to exempt aviation agencies from the 50 per cent deduction.
This is a direct consequence of the policy,” he said. The policy in question is the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) policy on the use of drones. The policy, which was implemented in 2021, has been met with mixed reactions. While some see it as a necessary measure to ensure safety and security, others criticize it as overly restrictive and hindering innovation.
“Considering these developments, NATCA’s council, by this press release, places all air traffic controllers on notice that our mother union has directed a nationwide protest effective from ‘00:00 hours on the 18th of September 2024’, all controllers are to comply with the instructions from our mother union until further notice. “Further instructions will be communicated in due course through the secretariat. We call on the Federal Government to act swiftly to exempt aviation agencies from the IGR deduction policy and address the financial challenges threatening the safety and functionality of Nigeria’s airspace,” Agoro said. Daily Sun had on Thursday reported that unions in the aviation industry would on Wednesday, September 18, stage a nationwide protest over the same issue.
The unions comprising 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), stateed that the protest is to demand the discontinuation of the 50 per cent deduction. The unions led by their leaders, Ocheme Aba (NUATE), Abdul Rasaq Saidu (ANAP), Francis Akinjole (ATSSSAN), Olayinka Abioye NAAPE) and Sikiru Waheed (AUPCTRE), directed their members in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA), the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) at the all airports nationwide to join the protest.
The unions, in their statement, expressed concern over the safety of Nigerians and the potential for catastrophic events. They emphasized that these agencies are responsible for ensuring the safety of air travel, maritime navigation, and meteorological forecasting. The unions highlighted the critical role of these agencies in preventing accidents and mitigating risks.
news is a contributor at Thopter. We are committed to providing well-researched, accurate, and valuable content to our readers.
